C210 pilot had an ATC communication failure with ATC while being vectored toward high terrain in sct...

Attributes
ACN	488874
Time
Date	200010
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 120
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 2400 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	488874
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA ATC Facility
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	communication equipment : sct.tracon

Narrative:

Flying IFR in VFR conditions from elp to vny, the WX at vny was 2000 ft overcast at +/- 4000 ft tops. So cal approach handed me off to so cal southeast of burbank and we were directed on heading 020 degree at 6000 ft. About whiteman airport , no more directions from ATC were heard. One other aircraft was having a difficult time talking to ATC and I heard no ATC response. Since we were VFR above the tops and the action area was VFR, I noticed we were approaching the north mountains north of our normal vectoring to the van nuys localizer. I informed ATC that I was executing a left turn to join the localizer. No response. After the third time I then heard a scratchy, then a good transmission from so cal. They had been trying to reach me 5 times to no avail. I consistently heard other aircraft. Either there is a dead zone where we cannot receive so cal (120.4) or their transmitter failed. Had we been IMC and a pilot not checking our location, we would have bored into the mountains. The controller sounded slightly shaken when he was finally able to transmit to me. I have noticed on the lynxx arrival that 120.4 does not get to us until we are very near the localizer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C210 PLT HAD AN ATC COM FAILURE WITH ATC WHILE BEING VECTORED TOWARD HIGH TERRAIN IN SCT CLASS B.

Narrative: FLYING IFR IN VFR CONDITIONS FROM ELP TO VNY, THE WX AT VNY WAS 2000 FT OVCST AT +/- 4000 FT TOPS. SO CAL APCH HANDED ME OFF TO SO CAL SE OF BURBANK AND WE WERE DIRECTED ON HDG 020 DEG AT 6000 FT. ABOUT WHITEMAN ARPT , NO MORE DIRECTIONS FROM ATC WERE HEARD. ONE OTHER ACFT WAS HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME TALKING TO ATC AND I HEARD NO ATC RESPONSE. SINCE WE WERE VFR ABOVE THE TOPS AND THE ACTION AREA WAS VFR, I NOTICED WE WERE APCHING THE N MOUNTAINS N OF OUR NORMAL VECTORING TO THE VAN NUYS LOC. I INFORMED ATC THAT I WAS EXECUTING A L TURN TO JOIN THE LOC. NO RESPONSE. AFTER THE THIRD TIME I THEN HEARD A SCRATCHY, THEN A GOOD XMISSION FROM SO CAL. THEY HAD BEEN TRYING TO REACH ME 5 TIMES TO NO AVAIL. I CONSISTENTLY HEARD OTHER ACFT. EITHER THERE IS A DEAD ZONE WHERE WE CANNOT RECEIVE SO CAL (120.4) OR THEIR TRANSMITTER FAILED. HAD WE BEEN IMC AND A PLT NOT CHKING OUR LOCATION, WE WOULD HAVE BORED INTO THE MOUNTAINS. THE CTLR SOUNDED SLIGHTLY SHAKEN WHEN HE WAS FINALLY ABLE TO XMIT TO ME. I HAVE NOTICED ON THE LYNXX ARR THAT 120.4 DOES NOT GET TO US UNTIL WE ARE VERY NEAR THE LOC.

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.

C210 pilot had an ATC communication failure with ATC while being vectored toward high terrain in sct class B.