B727 flight crew does not receive timely frequency change from ZTL.

Attributes
ACN	445560
Time
Date	199908
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : lgc.vortac
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	445560
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

It appears we were inadvertently out of contact with ATC for a period of approximately 10-20 mins. Due to either flight crew missing frequency changeover or ATC forgetting to change us, we were inadvertently off frequency. The period of non-contact was extended due to back to back lavatory breaks by first the captain and then the first officer for approximately 10 mins total. Captain finally became aware of situation and reestablished contact on ZJX. Surprisingly, we received no 'come-up on frequency XXX.X' from ATC through dispatch over ACARS. This was an excellent learning experience in better crew coordination especially during back-to-back lavatory visits by captain and first officer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 FLC DOES NOT RECEIVE TIMELY FREQ CHANGE FROM ZTL.

Narrative: IT APPEARS WE WERE INADVERTENTLY OUT OF CONTACT WITH ATC FOR A PERIOD OF APPROX 10-20 MINS. DUE TO EITHER FLC MISSING FREQ CHANGEOVER OR ATC FORGETTING TO CHANGE US, WE WERE INADVERTENTLY OFF FREQ. THE PERIOD OF NON-CONTACT WAS EXTENDED DUE TO BACK TO BACK LAVATORY BREAKS BY FIRST THE CAPT AND THEN THE FO FOR APPROX 10 MINS TOTAL. CAPT FINALLY BECAME AWARE OF SIT AND REESTABLISHED CONTACT ON ZJX. SURPRISINGLY, WE RECEIVED NO 'COME-UP ON FREQ XXX.X' FROM ATC THROUGH DISPATCH OVER ACARS. THIS WAS AN EXCELLENT LEARNING EXPERIENCE IN BETTER CREW COORD ESPECIALLY DURING BACK-TO-BACK LAVATORY VISITS BY CAPT AND FO.

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.