A CL65 crew at FL190 asking for lower altitude was told he was on the wrong frequency.

Attributes
ACN	582463
Time
Date	200305
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : abb.vortac
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl single value : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 780
ASRS Report	582463
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We were approaching nabb VOR (abb) at FL190. The captain and I commented that we usually set a descent to cross sargo intersection on the mosey 5 arrival into cvg at 11000 ft. Usually the clearance to cross sargo is issued much earlier than this. When the captain asked the controller (ZID 132.52) if we could expect a descent soon, the controller said that we should be on 124.77. The captain replied that we weren't handed off (and we weren't). The controller replied with an attitude saying that we were obviously handed off since we were at FL190. The captain informed the controller that FL190- was our filed cruising altitude. The captain then tried to confirm the proper frequency for us and the controller never replied to any radio calls from us. Simultaneous to this, we were advised by atlanta radio (company) of the correct frequency. We continued without further incident. Apparently, the controller at ZID thought that we were handed off to the next controller based solely on our altitude. This was a false assumption and seemed to create this problem. The problem was not helped by the negative attitude of the controller and his failure to respond to further radio calls.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CL65 CREW AT FL190 ASKING FOR LOWER ALT WAS TOLD HE WAS ON THE WRONG FREQ.

Narrative: WE WERE APCHING NABB VOR (ABB) AT FL190. THE CAPT AND I COMMENTED THAT WE USUALLY SET A DSCNT TO CROSS SARGO INTXN ON THE MOSEY 5 ARR INTO CVG AT 11000 FT. USUALLY THE CLRNC TO CROSS SARGO IS ISSUED MUCH EARLIER THAN THIS. WHEN THE CAPT ASKED THE CTLR (ZID 132.52) IF WE COULD EXPECT A DSCNT SOON, THE CTLR SAID THAT WE SHOULD BE ON 124.77. THE CAPT REPLIED THAT WE WEREN'T HANDED OFF (AND WE WEREN'T). THE CTLR REPLIED WITH AN ATTITUDE SAYING THAT WE WERE OBVIOUSLY HANDED OFF SINCE WE WERE AT FL190. THE CAPT INFORMED THE CTLR THAT FL190- WAS OUR FILED CRUISING ALT. THE CAPT THEN TRIED TO CONFIRM THE PROPER FREQ FOR US AND THE CTLR NEVER REPLIED TO ANY RADIO CALLS FROM US. SIMULTANEOUS TO THIS, WE WERE ADVISED BY ATLANTA RADIO (COMPANY) OF THE CORRECT FREQ. WE CONTINUED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. APPARENTLY, THE CTLR AT ZID THOUGHT THAT WE WERE HANDED OFF TO THE NEXT CTLR BASED SOLELY ON OUR ALT. THIS WAS A FALSE ASSUMPTION AND SEEMED TO CREATE THIS PROB. THE PROB WAS NOT HELPED BY THE NEGATIVE ATTITUDE OF THE CTLR AND HIS FAILURE TO RESPOND TO FURTHER RADIO CALLS.

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.