GA aircraft not handed off to next control facility until pilot queries controller.

Attributes
ACN	489193
Time
Date	200010
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zdc.artcc
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc artcc : zdc.artcc tracon : gso.tracon tracon : ric.tracon
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : v20.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	489193
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance ATC Facility Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Operational Deviation

Narrative:

I was traveling on an IFR flight plan from 19N to pdk. The ZDV controller is my concern. When the radio xmissions started to become scratchy and had no calls to me in about 30 mins, I contacted ATC. I wanted to check if I missed a handoff. There was a sterile cockpit, so I doubted I missed a call. The controller told me '...I wasn't in the system.' I replied that I had been flying an IFR plan all morning. After several attempts to get through to her with poor transmission due to distance, she passed me off to greensboro approach. After making contact, I asked the greensboro controller if I missed a handoff or if the previous controller forgot about me. He told me I should have been with him for 70 mi and that she didn't hand me off to them until just now. Then he immediately handed me off to ZTL. My concern is north of my course, there are increasing mountaintops. I was VMC, however, if I were IMC and wandered off course to the right (north), and the controller wasn't following my course, it could have been tragic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA ACFT NOT HANDED OFF TO NEXT CTL FACILITY UNTIL PLT QUERIES CTLR.

Narrative: I WAS TRAVELING ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM 19N TO PDK. THE ZDV CTLR IS MY CONCERN. WHEN THE RADIO XMISSIONS STARTED TO BECOME SCRATCHY AND HAD NO CALLS TO ME IN ABOUT 30 MINS, I CONTACTED ATC. I WANTED TO CHK IF I MISSED A HDOF. THERE WAS A STERILE COCKPIT, SO I DOUBTED I MISSED A CALL. THE CTLR TOLD ME '...I WASN'T IN THE SYS.' I REPLIED THAT I HAD BEEN FLYING AN IFR PLAN ALL MORNING. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET THROUGH TO HER WITH POOR XMISSION DUE TO DISTANCE, SHE PASSED ME OFF TO GREENSBORO APCH. AFTER MAKING CONTACT, I ASKED THE GREENSBORO CTLR IF I MISSED A HDOF OR IF THE PREVIOUS CTLR FORGOT ABOUT ME. HE TOLD ME I SHOULD HAVE BEEN WITH HIM FOR 70 MI AND THAT SHE DIDN'T HAND ME OFF TO THEM UNTIL JUST NOW. THEN HE IMMEDIATELY HANDED ME OFF TO ZTL. MY CONCERN IS N OF MY COURSE, THERE ARE INCREASING MOUNTAINTOPS. I WAS VMC, HOWEVER, IF I WERE IMC AND WANDERED OFF COURSE TO THE R (N), AND THE CTLR WASN'T FOLLOWING MY COURSE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN TRAGIC.

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.