Narrative:

While at 9000 ft MSL, tracking sebound on V459, approximately 15 NM northwest of seal beach VORTAC, we were being worked by socal approach control on 124.30. I was programming the communication unit to the next anticipated frequency (121.30). Unknown to both crew members, the frequency 'swap' button must have been accidentally depressed, probably due to the few bounces we encountered in our flight. As we approached the position where we 'normally' receive a lower altitude, we began to suspect a communication failure. I called to ask for a lower altitude. The controller who responded indicated that he didn't know anything about us! He suggested we return to the previous frequency. At that point, it was realized we had inadvertently switched frequencys. We immediately checked-in on the previous frequency. After 4-5 unanswered calls to this controller, we now suspected a transmitter failure. However, he did finally respond to us. He seemed very irritated. We got the impression that we had missed numerous calls from him, but we were really only off frequency 2-3 mins. Even after re-establishing contact with the 124.30 controller, he continued to ignore our queries about our radios. His reason for ignoring our calls? I have no answer. Could it be that he was still (silently) showing his irritation? This experience emphasizes the need to be vigilant, even during selection of a standby frequency. But, after discovery and correction of this problem, there was no need to have a controller display a vengeful attitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C425 ACFT IN CRUISE ON AIRWAY INADVERTENTLY SWITCHED RADIO FREQ. AS THEY APCHED THE NORMAL DSCNT POINT THEY CALLED FOR LOWER ALT AND THE CTLR ON THAT FREQ DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THEM. AFTER RETURNING TO THE CORRECT FREQ THE CTLR WOULD NOT ANSWER THEIR REPEATED CALLS WHICH MADE FLC THINK THEY HAD LOST THE XMITTER. RPTR BELIEVES THAT THE CTLR WAS IRRITATED WITH THEM BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN UNABLE TO REACH THEM WHEN THEY WERE OFF FREQ AND WAS BEING VENGEFUL.

Narrative: WHILE AT 9000 FT MSL, TRACKING SEBOUND ON V459, APPROX 15 NM NW OF SEAL BEACH VORTAC, WE WERE BEING WORKED BY SOCAL APCH CTL ON 124.30. I WAS PROGRAMMING THE COM UNIT TO THE NEXT ANTICIPATED FREQ (121.30). UNKNOWN TO BOTH CREW MEMBERS, THE FREQ 'SWAP' BUTTON MUST HAVE BEEN ACCIDENTALLY DEPRESSED, PROBABLY DUE TO THE FEW BOUNCES WE ENCOUNTERED IN OUR FLT. AS WE APCHED THE POS WHERE WE 'NORMALLY' RECEIVE A LOWER ALT, WE BEGAN TO SUSPECT A COM FAILURE. I CALLED TO ASK FOR A LOWER ALT. THE CTLR WHO RESPONDED INDICATED THAT HE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT US! HE SUGGESTED WE RETURN TO THE PREVIOUS FREQ. AT THAT POINT, IT WAS REALIZED WE HAD INADVERTENTLY SWITCHED FREQS. WE IMMEDIATELY CHKED-IN ON THE PREVIOUS FREQ. AFTER 4-5 UNANSWERED CALLS TO THIS CTLR, WE NOW SUSPECTED A XMITTER FAILURE. HOWEVER, HE DID FINALLY RESPOND TO US. HE SEEMED VERY IRRITATED. WE GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT WE HAD MISSED NUMEROUS CALLS FROM HIM, BUT WE WERE REALLY ONLY OFF FREQ 2-3 MINS. EVEN AFTER RE-ESTABLISHING CONTACT WITH THE 124.30 CTLR, HE CONTINUED TO IGNORE OUR QUERIES ABOUT OUR RADIOS. HIS REASON FOR IGNORING OUR CALLS? I HAVE NO ANSWER. COULD IT BE THAT HE WAS STILL (SILENTLY) SHOWING HIS IRRITATION? THIS EXPERIENCE EMPHASIZES THE NEED TO BE VIGILANT, EVEN DURING SELECTION OF A STANDBY FREQ. BUT, AFTER DISCOVERY AND CORRECTION OF THIS PROB, THERE WAS NO NEED TO HAVE A CTLR DISPLAY A VENGEFUL ATTITUDE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.