Crew on oceanic flight fails to make required position reports until called by commercial radio.

Attributes
ACN	472560
Time
Date	200005
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zoa.artcc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 10
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : pacific
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 10934 flight time type : 342
ASRS Report	472560
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We are en route hnl to anc on a random route at FL330 when commercial radio asked us to forward a position report. I found this surprising as we had reported reaching FL330 to center, who had then terminated radar service and cleared us to en route frequency. I had checked in with commercial radio and received a SELCAL check. Normally, center forwards our position to oceanic. This is evidenced by phraseology like 'forward an estimate for XXX.' in retrospect, this did not occur. We need to have more understanding of how center actually interfaces with oceanic. I have spoken to an individual in our training department to stress that center may not automatically forward our position and altitude to oceanic as I believed. When establishing communication in a new fir that is not a mandatory position report, provide an estimate to the next mandatory position and your current altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CREW ON OCEANIC FLT FAILS TO MAKE REQUIRED POS RPTS UNTIL CALLED BY COMMERCIAL RADIO.

Narrative: WE ARE ENRTE HNL TO ANC ON A RANDOM RTE AT FL330 WHEN COMMERCIAL RADIO ASKED US TO FORWARD A POS RPT. I FOUND THIS SURPRISING AS WE HAD RPTED REACHING FL330 TO CTR, WHO HAD THEN TERMINATED RADAR SVC AND CLRED US TO ENRTE FREQ. I HAD CHKED IN WITH COMMERCIAL RADIO AND RECEIVED A SELCAL CHK. NORMALLY, CTR FORWARDS OUR POS TO OCEANIC. THIS IS EVIDENCED BY PHRASEOLOGY LIKE 'FORWARD AN ESTIMATE FOR XXX.' IN RETROSPECT, THIS DID NOT OCCUR. WE NEED TO HAVE MORE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW CTR ACTUALLY INTERFACES WITH OCEANIC. I HAVE SPOKEN TO AN INDIVIDUAL IN OUR TRAINING DEPT TO STRESS THAT CTR MAY NOT AUTOMATICALLY FORWARD OUR POS AND ALT TO OCEANIC AS I BELIEVED. WHEN ESTABLISHING COM IN A NEW FIR THAT IS NOT A MANDATORY POS RPT, PROVIDE AN ESTIMATE TO THE NEXT MANDATORY POS AND YOUR CURRENT ALT.

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.