Narrative:

On sep/tue/99, I filed an IFR flight plan from pdk to abe. (My name listed as PIC although I only acted as PIC for part of the flight.) I filed the following route: eaone spa J14 crewe J51 dqo direct etx direct abe. Our clearance was as follows: cleared to abe via direct spa J14 gso then as filed: maintain 3000 ft expect FL410 in 10 mins, departure frequency 119.3 squawk XXXX. We departed pdk at XA15 UTC. I ceased acting as a required flight crew member (PIC or sic) at or about XA40 UTC. Other pilot continued as PIC during completion of PIC check and another assumed sic duties. Somewhere southwest of ott at or about XB00 UTC we were given a revised clearance: aircraft X cleared to descend to FL370 direct ldn, ldn 031 degree radial to intercept V377 har V162 dummr direct abe. The clearance was read back and confirmed by ZDC. We then were requested to descend to FL270. We proceeded as cleared after reading back the clearance. How it was discovered: after a while, realizing that the frequency had been quiet for a while, we asked washington for a radio check. They answered 'aircraft X, loud and clear.' we were never handed off or assigned another frequency. We never acknowledged a frequency change. Later, just west of hwang intersection on V162 we called ZDC and requested descent into abe. Washington asked us for our position. Washington stated that they were unfamiliar with hwang intersection and did not know where we were or where we were going. We briefed them that we were on an IFR flight plan from pdk to abe. Still, they did not know who we were. We told ZDC that we would try ZNY on 132.5. ZDC said that would be a good idea. When we called ZNY, they too were surprised to hear from us and promptly handed us over to another ny frequency. By this time we were just southwest of etx VOR and when we requested descent into abe we were told 'no way' and then were given a westerly heading that took us about 70 mi wsw of abe before being turned back towards abe. The remainder of the flight was uneventful. Contributing factors: ATC congestion, PIC check in progress (maybe), new copilot in right seat, ATC vigilance. Corrective actions: less ATC confusion, PIC checks in simulators. At all times all crew members complied with all ATC clearance requests and applicable FARS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC IN MDT TYPE ACFT ENRTE TO ABE HAD PROCEED TO WHERE THEY NEEDED TO START DOWN. THE CTLR AT ZDC AND THE CTLR AT ZNY DID NOT HAVE ANY RECORD OF THE FLT.

Narrative: ON SEP/TUE/99, I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM PDK TO ABE. (MY NAME LISTED AS PIC ALTHOUGH I ONLY ACTED AS PIC FOR PART OF THE FLT.) I FILED THE FOLLOWING RTE: EAONE SPA J14 CREWE J51 DQO DIRECT ETX DIRECT ABE. OUR CLRNC WAS AS FOLLOWS: CLRED TO ABE VIA DIRECT SPA J14 GSO THEN AS FILED: MAINTAIN 3000 FT EXPECT FL410 IN 10 MINS, DEP FREQ 119.3 SQUAWK XXXX. WE DEPARTED PDK AT XA15 UTC. I CEASED ACTING AS A REQUIRED FLT CREW MEMBER (PIC OR SIC) AT OR ABOUT XA40 UTC. OTHER PLT CONTINUED AS PIC DURING COMPLETION OF PIC CHK AND ANOTHER ASSUMED SIC DUTIES. SOMEWHERE SW OF OTT AT OR ABOUT XB00 UTC WE WERE GIVEN A REVISED CLRNC: ACFT X CLRED TO DSND TO FL370 DIRECT LDN, LDN 031 DEG RADIAL TO INTERCEPT V377 HAR V162 DUMMR DIRECT ABE. THE CLRNC WAS READ BACK AND CONFIRMED BY ZDC. WE THEN WERE REQUESTED TO DSND TO FL270. WE PROCEEDED AS CLRED AFTER READING BACK THE CLRNC. HOW IT WAS DISCOVERED: AFTER A WHILE, REALIZING THAT THE FREQ HAD BEEN QUIET FOR A WHILE, WE ASKED WASHINGTON FOR A RADIO CHK. THEY ANSWERED 'ACFT X, LOUD AND CLR.' WE WERE NEVER HANDED OFF OR ASSIGNED ANOTHER FREQ. WE NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED A FREQ CHANGE. LATER, JUST W OF HWANG INTXN ON V162 WE CALLED ZDC AND REQUESTED DSCNT INTO ABE. WASHINGTON ASKED US FOR OUR POS. WASHINGTON STATED THAT THEY WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH HWANG INTXN AND DID NOT KNOW WHERE WE WERE OR WHERE WE WERE GOING. WE BRIEFED THEM THAT WE WERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM PDK TO ABE. STILL, THEY DID NOT KNOW WHO WE WERE. WE TOLD ZDC THAT WE WOULD TRY ZNY ON 132.5. ZDC SAID THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA. WHEN WE CALLED ZNY, THEY TOO WERE SURPRISED TO HEAR FROM US AND PROMPTLY HANDED US OVER TO ANOTHER NY FREQ. BY THIS TIME WE WERE JUST SW OF ETX VOR AND WHEN WE REQUESTED DSCNT INTO ABE WE WERE TOLD 'NO WAY' AND THEN WERE GIVEN A WESTERLY HEADING THAT TOOK US ABOUT 70 MI WSW OF ABE BEFORE BEING TURNED BACK TOWARDS ABE. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: ATC CONGESTION, PIC CHK IN PROGRESS (MAYBE), NEW COPLT IN R SEAT, ATC VIGILANCE. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: LESS ATC CONFUSION, PIC CHECKS IN SIMULATORS. AT ALL TIMES ALL CREW MEMBERS COMPLIED WITH ALL ATC CLRNC REQUESTS AND APPLICABLE FARS.

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.