Air carrier flight crew alert ZKC that they need descent clearance only to be advised that they shou...

Attributes
ACN	517501
Time
Date	200107
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	517501
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Between stl and mdw on the motif 2 arrival, there was a breakdown in communication between ZKC and the cockpit crew. We never got lower from cruising altitude FL250. It was discovered when meeting the expected crossing altitudes was questionable. At that time we asked for lower altitude. ATC responded inquiring our call sign and position. After we responded, he stated that we should have switched over ZAU sometime before. We slowed down, switched frequencys and descended without further problems. Both pilots were monitoring ATC frequencys at all times. We should have questioned the controller when approaching top of descent point to meet the expected crossing restrs on the STAR. I honestly believe that ATC controller forgot about us and we flew out of his sector. Action taken: called air carrier ATC coordinator, explained the situation. He called ZKC and ZAU. He stated that both ctrs wrote off the situation and no traffic conflict existed at any time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC ALERT ZKC THAT THEY NEED DSCNT CLRNC ONLY TO BE ADVISED THAT THEY SHOULD BE ZAU'S FREQ.

Narrative: BTWN STL AND MDW ON THE MOTIF 2 ARR, THERE WAS A BREAKDOWN IN COM BTWN ZKC AND THE COCKPIT CREW. WE NEVER GOT LOWER FROM CRUISING ALT FL250. IT WAS DISCOVERED WHEN MEETING THE EXPECTED XING ALTS WAS QUESTIONABLE. AT THAT TIME WE ASKED FOR LOWER ALT. ATC RESPONDED INQUIRING OUR CALL SIGN AND POS. AFTER WE RESPONDED, HE STATED THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SWITCHED OVER ZAU SOMETIME BEFORE. WE SLOWED DOWN, SWITCHED FREQS AND DSNDED WITHOUT FURTHER PROBS. BOTH PLTS WERE MONITORING ATC FREQS AT ALL TIMES. WE SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED THE CTLR WHEN APCHING TOP OF DSCNT POINT TO MEET THE EXPECTED XING RESTRS ON THE STAR. I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT ATC CTLR FORGOT ABOUT US AND WE FLEW OUT OF HIS SECTOR. ACTION TAKEN: CALLED ACR ATC COORDINATOR, EXPLAINED THE SIT. HE CALLED ZKC AND ZAU. HE STATED THAT BOTH CTRS WROTE OFF THE SIT AND NO TFC CONFLICT EXISTED AT ANY TIME.

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.

Air carrier flight crew alert ZKC that they need descent clearance only to be advised that they should be ZAU's frequency.