B757 unable to communicate with dca TRACON due to frequency overlap with syr TRACON.

Attributes
ACN	416450
Time
Date	199810
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca tracon : syr
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	416450
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

On a flight from cvg to bwi, on the descent, we were switched to dca approach on frequency 124.2. We tried to contact approach several times. We could hear them, but they did not respond to us. Finally they called us and tried to clear us for a lower altitude. But they kept getting cut out by an aircraft talking to syr approach. Finally we got through and dca approach told us that this was a continuing problem on that frequency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH DCA TRACON DUE TO FREQ OVERLAP WITH SYR TRACON.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM CVG TO BWI, ON THE DSCNT, WE WERE SWITCHED TO DCA APCH ON FREQ 124.2. WE TRIED TO CONTACT APCH SEVERAL TIMES. WE COULD HEAR THEM, BUT THEY DID NOT RESPOND TO US. FINALLY THEY CALLED US AND TRIED TO CLR US FOR A LOWER ALT. BUT THEY KEPT GETTING CUT OUT BY AN ACFT TALKING TO SYR APCH. FINALLY WE GOT THROUGH AND DCA APCH TOLD US THAT THIS WAS A CONTINUING PROB ON THAT FREQ.

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.