An air carrier flight crew flying BE1900 into ifp loses radio contact with ZLA.

Attributes
ACN	443163
Time
Date	199907
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zla.artcc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	443163
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

We began the VOR/DME runway 34 approach to ifp and were subsequently cleared for 'visual approach to ifp' after reporting ifp airport in sight, by ZLA. After descending below approximately 4000 ft MSL and within 10 NM of ifp, we made at least 4 radio calls for a frequency change to tower. Our calls were not answered, even though we could hear center. At approximately 5 NM south of ifp, we changed to tower frequency and reported our position on the extended centerline of runway 34. We were then instructed to enter a right downwind for runway 16. The lack of an ATC handoff by ZLA and our close proximity to ifp created confusion for ATC, however, no traffic conflict occurred that I am aware of, but there was traffic displayed on our TCASII within 4 NM and 500 ft of our aircraft that we elected to steer away from with a slightly diverging course, but still toward the airport. This is not the first incident of this type to occur at this airport and ATC needs to develop a procedure to initialize a more timely handoff of aircraft to the tower to alleviate the confusion that can be created for both pilot and controller!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC FLYING BE1900 INTO IFP LOSES RADIO CONTACT WITH ZLA.

Narrative: WE BEGAN THE VOR/DME RWY 34 APCH TO IFP AND WERE SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED FOR 'VISUAL APCH TO IFP' AFTER RPTING IFP ARPT IN SIGHT, BY ZLA. AFTER DSNDING BELOW APPROX 4000 FT MSL AND WITHIN 10 NM OF IFP, WE MADE AT LEAST 4 RADIO CALLS FOR A FREQ CHANGE TO TWR. OUR CALLS WERE NOT ANSWERED, EVEN THOUGH WE COULD HEAR CTR. AT APPROX 5 NM S OF IFP, WE CHANGED TO TWR FREQ AND RPTED OUR POS ON THE EXTENDED CTRLINE OF RWY 34. WE WERE THEN INSTRUCTED TO ENTER A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 16. THE LACK OF AN ATC HDOF BY ZLA AND OUR CLOSE PROX TO IFP CREATED CONFUSION FOR ATC, HOWEVER, NO TFC CONFLICT OCCURRED THAT I AM AWARE OF, BUT THERE WAS TFC DISPLAYED ON OUR TCASII WITHIN 4 NM AND 500 FT OF OUR ACFT THAT WE ELECTED TO STEER AWAY FROM WITH A SLIGHTLY DIVERGING COURSE, BUT STILL TOWARD THE ARPT. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST INCIDENT OF THIS TYPE TO OCCUR AT THIS ARPT AND ATC NEEDS TO DEVELOP A PROC TO INITIALIZE A MORE TIMELY HDOF OF ACFT TO THE TWR TO ALLEVIATE THE CONFUSION THAT CAN BE CREATED FOR BOTH PLT AND CTLR!

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.