FK10 crew lost communication with ATC.

Attributes
ACN	440890
Time
Date	199906
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fokker 100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 8200 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	440890
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On flight into clt had conversation with captain that we were getting a late descent for the arrival. Received a fault indication associated with pressurization system and ran the procedures for that. In going back to the radio/communication problem it became evident the frequency we were now monitoring was not the correct one. Received ACARS message telling us to go to a certain frequency however, the message was missing some characters so were unable. Tried briefly to fill in for the missing characters but were unable to establish proper contact. Ended up finding our prior center frequency and made contact where we were sent to approach control to arrange our descent. The combination of events left us at FL240 till we were about on top of charlotte. My only guess is that somewhere in the scenario the captain inadvertently moved the control head on the radio, and the resulting frequency just happened to land on a center frequency, and the error was not noticed. The pressurization fault and the incomplete ACARS transmission lengthened the process. I believe that we never felt rushed, only frustrated at the inability to communicate with the center/approach control.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FK10 CREW LOST COM WITH ATC.

Narrative: ON FLT INTO CLT HAD CONVERSATION WITH CAPT THAT WE WERE GETTING A LATE DSCNT FOR THE ARR. RECEIVED A FAULT INDICATION ASSOCIATED WITH PRESSURIZATION SYS AND RAN THE PROCS FOR THAT. IN GOING BACK TO THE RADIO/COM PROB IT BECAME EVIDENT THE FREQ WE WERE NOW MONITORING WAS NOT THE CORRECT ONE. RECEIVED ACARS MESSAGE TELLING US TO GO TO A CERTAIN FREQ HOWEVER, THE MESSAGE WAS MISSING SOME CHARACTERS SO WERE UNABLE. TRIED BRIEFLY TO FILL IN FOR THE MISSING CHARACTERS BUT WERE UNABLE TO ESTABLISH PROPER CONTACT. ENDED UP FINDING OUR PRIOR CTR FREQ AND MADE CONTACT WHERE WE WERE SENT TO APCH CTL TO ARRANGE OUR DSCNT. THE COMBINATION OF EVENTS LEFT US AT FL240 TILL WE WERE ABOUT ON TOP OF CHARLOTTE. MY ONLY GUESS IS THAT SOMEWHERE IN THE SCENARIO THE CAPT INADVERTENTLY MOVED THE CTL HEAD ON THE RADIO, AND THE RESULTING FREQ JUST HAPPENED TO LAND ON A CTR FREQ, AND THE ERROR WAS NOT NOTICED. THE PRESSURIZATION FAULT AND THE INCOMPLETE ACARS XMISSION LENGTHENED THE PROCESS. I BELIEVE THAT WE NEVER FELT RUSHED, ONLY FRUSTRATED AT THE INABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE CTR/APCH CTL.

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.