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An LJ31 crew, departing eug, experienced communications failure caused by ATC equipment. A different frequency was issued which solved the problem.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 530978 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200111 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : eug.airport |
| State Reference | OR |
| Altitude | msl single value : 9000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : eug.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Learjet 31 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3350 flight time type : 1500 |
| ASRS Report | 530978 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : corporate |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Facility ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Facility |
Narrative:
We departed eug airport on the eug 5 departure, as assigned. The departure says to climb on assigned heading for vectors and to maintain 9000 ft. We were told to fly runway heading, which we did. After departure, tower told us to contact cascade departure, which we did. There was no reply after about 4 calls, so we tried another radio and also tried communicating from both sides of the cockpit, as well. There was still no reply, then cascade departure called us to see if we were on frequency, but the controller did not hear us answer. Next, the controller told us to identify, which we did. 2 or 3 more times the controller told us to identify if we could hear him. The controller said he was seeing our idents, but still gave us no instructions. Due to the fact that we were in VFR conditions still, and almost at 9000 ft, but were about to enter the clouds, I decided to stay in VFR conditions. I made a left turn back towards the VOR on eug airport to both stay in VFR conditions, and to follow the lost communication procedures on the SID. If we did not establish communications soon, I was going to just stay VFR and land. As we began to level off at 9000 ft and were now headed back to the airport/VOR, I told my copilot to call the tower. The tower immediately replied. We told tower our problem and tower gave us another frequency to try. As soon as we called cascade departure on the next frequency, he replied/told us to climb and maintain 12000 ft and cleared us on course. I discussed what had happened and told cascade I had initiated the turn to stay VFR and also to follow the IFR lost communication procedure until I was sure we could stay VFR and land, if we could not make contact. Cascade replied and said it was 'his equipment' that had caused the problem. I don't know what else we could have done. We did as instructed, were on the proper frequency, and stayed in VFR conditions when we realized we might have a communication problem. I did have to deviate from the assigned heading, but did so to stay VFR, if possible, like the regulations instruct. The rest of the climb and flight were uneventful.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN LJ31 CREW, DEPARTING EUG, EXPERIENCED COMS FAILURE CAUSED BY ATC EQUIP. A DIFFERENT FREQ WAS ISSUED WHICH SOLVED THE PROB.
Narrative: WE DEPARTED EUG ARPT ON THE EUG 5 DEP, AS ASSIGNED. THE DEP SAYS TO CLB ON ASSIGNED HDG FOR VECTORS AND TO MAINTAIN 9000 FT. WE WERE TOLD TO FLY RWY HDG, WHICH WE DID. AFTER DEP, TWR TOLD US TO CONTACT CASCADE DEP, WHICH WE DID. THERE WAS NO REPLY AFTER ABOUT 4 CALLS, SO WE TRIED ANOTHER RADIO AND ALSO TRIED COMMUNICATING FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE COCKPIT, AS WELL. THERE WAS STILL NO REPLY, THEN CASCADE DEP CALLED US TO SEE IF WE WERE ON FREQ, BUT THE CTLR DID NOT HEAR US ANSWER. NEXT, THE CTLR TOLD US TO IDENT, WHICH WE DID. 2 OR 3 MORE TIMES THE CTLR TOLD US TO IDENT IF WE COULD HEAR HIM. THE CTLR SAID HE WAS SEEING OUR IDENTS, BUT STILL GAVE US NO INSTRUCTIONS. DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE WERE IN VFR CONDITIONS STILL, AND ALMOST AT 9000 FT, BUT WERE ABOUT TO ENTER THE CLOUDS, I DECIDED TO STAY IN VFR CONDITIONS. I MADE A L TURN BACK TOWARDS THE VOR ON EUG ARPT TO BOTH STAY IN VFR CONDITIONS, AND TO FOLLOW THE LOST COM PROCS ON THE SID. IF WE DID NOT ESTABLISH COMS SOON, I WAS GOING TO JUST STAY VFR AND LAND. AS WE BEGAN TO LEVEL OFF AT 9000 FT AND WERE NOW HEADED BACK TO THE ARPT/VOR, I TOLD MY COPLT TO CALL THE TWR. THE TWR IMMEDIATELY REPLIED. WE TOLD TWR OUR PROB AND TWR GAVE US ANOTHER FREQ TO TRY. AS SOON AS WE CALLED CASCADE DEP ON THE NEXT FREQ, HE REPLIED/TOLD US TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 12000 FT AND CLRED US ON COURSE. I DISCUSSED WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND TOLD CASCADE I HAD INITIATED THE TURN TO STAY VFR AND ALSO TO FOLLOW THE IFR LOST COM PROC UNTIL I WAS SURE WE COULD STAY VFR AND LAND, IF WE COULD NOT MAKE CONTACT. CASCADE REPLIED AND SAID IT WAS 'HIS EQUIP' THAT HAD CAUSED THE PROB. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE WE COULD HAVE DONE. WE DID AS INSTRUCTED, WERE ON THE PROPER FREQ, AND STAYED IN VFR CONDITIONS WHEN WE REALIZED WE MIGHT HAVE A COM PROB. I DID HAVE TO DEVIATE FROM THE ASSIGNED HDG, BUT DID SO TO STAY VFR, IF POSSIBLE, LIKE THE REGS INSTRUCT. THE REST OF THE CLB AND FLT WERE UNEVENTFUL.
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.