B737 flight crew has lost communication during approach to alb.

Attributes
ACN	592055
Time
Date	200309
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : alb.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : alb.tracon tower : alb.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 5500
ASRS Report	592055
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	592057
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Navigational Facility Aircraft ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

During the arrival phase of our flight, we got ATIS for runway 19 arrival, with calm winds. We requested runway 1, but were told to expect runway 19. The same controller came back with a comment, 'it must be your lucky day, turn left heading 310 degrees, descend to 3000 ft and expect runway 1.' I was about 25 mi on the 150 degree radial at 6000 ft and 250 KTS. Since I was now behind descent profile, I hustled down and set up for a visual to runway 1. Level at 3000 ft, heading 310 degrees and about 12 mi from the field. We had the field in sight on about 180 degree radial. We watched the centerline pass and had never received any radio calls from approach. We finally asked approach for a turn to the airport and told him we had the field in sight. I think the same controller (sounded like the same voice) asked us who we were and where we were -- indicating he didn't know the call sign, ie, we were a 'wrong way' arrival. He immediately switched us to tower. I executed a right turn to miss terrain and towers. MSA was 3500 ft. The tower told us we were now to fly a right downwind to runway 19. He gave us a phone number to call on arrival. We never had any radio problems on the previous flight or this flight. We did not receive any radio xmissions between our descent/turn transmission and our call to approach control (132.65) after we passed centerline on our assigned 310 degree heading. I talked to the approach supervisor and he stated the controller called us several times, using 2 different transmitters. We never heard anything. Once we called the controller, he didn't have a clue who we were until we gave him range and bearing -- seemingly refuting his concern about us not responding. Possibly we were affected by the VHF communication problems area mentioned on our navigation chart (which we discussed in-flight). Supplemental information from acn 592057: I believe that the controller forgot about us, because we were being vectored to the opposite runway than all the other traffic. The controller claimed that he had made numerous calls to us, which we did not respond to. However, when I called him, I got an immediate response and he wasn't sure who we were.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW HAS LOST COM DURING APCH TO ALB.

Narrative: DURING THE ARR PHASE OF OUR FLT, WE GOT ATIS FOR RWY 19 ARR, WITH CALM WINDS. WE REQUESTED RWY 1, BUT WERE TOLD TO EXPECT RWY 19. THE SAME CTLR CAME BACK WITH A COMMENT, 'IT MUST BE YOUR LUCKY DAY, TURN L HDG 310 DEGS, DSND TO 3000 FT AND EXPECT RWY 1.' I WAS ABOUT 25 MI ON THE 150 DEG RADIAL AT 6000 FT AND 250 KTS. SINCE I WAS NOW BEHIND DSCNT PROFILE, I HUSTLED DOWN AND SET UP FOR A VISUAL TO RWY 1. LEVEL AT 3000 FT, HDG 310 DEGS AND ABOUT 12 MI FROM THE FIELD. WE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT ON ABOUT 180 DEG RADIAL. WE WATCHED THE CTRLINE PASS AND HAD NEVER RECEIVED ANY RADIO CALLS FROM APCH. WE FINALLY ASKED APCH FOR A TURN TO THE ARPT AND TOLD HIM WE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT. I THINK THE SAME CTLR (SOUNDED LIKE THE SAME VOICE) ASKED US WHO WE WERE AND WHERE WE WERE -- INDICATING HE DIDN'T KNOW THE CALL SIGN, IE, WE WERE A 'WRONG WAY' ARR. HE IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED US TO TWR. I EXECUTED A R TURN TO MISS TERRAIN AND TWRS. MSA WAS 3500 FT. THE TWR TOLD US WE WERE NOW TO FLY A R DOWNWIND TO RWY 19. HE GAVE US A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL ON ARR. WE NEVER HAD ANY RADIO PROBS ON THE PREVIOUS FLT OR THIS FLT. WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY RADIO XMISSIONS BTWN OUR DSCNT/TURN XMISSION AND OUR CALL TO APCH CTL (132.65) AFTER WE PASSED CTRLINE ON OUR ASSIGNED 310 DEG HDG. I TALKED TO THE APCH SUPVR AND HE STATED THE CTLR CALLED US SEVERAL TIMES, USING 2 DIFFERENT XMITTERS. WE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING. ONCE WE CALLED THE CTLR, HE DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE WHO WE WERE UNTIL WE GAVE HIM RANGE AND BEARING -- SEEMINGLY REFUTING HIS CONCERN ABOUT US NOT RESPONDING. POSSIBLY WE WERE AFFECTED BY THE VHF COM PROBS AREA MENTIONED ON OUR NAV CHART (WHICH WE DISCUSSED INFLT). SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 592057: I BELIEVE THAT THE CTLR FORGOT ABOUT US, BECAUSE WE WERE BEING VECTORED TO THE OPPOSITE RWY THAN ALL THE OTHER TFC. THE CTLR CLAIMED THAT HE HAD MADE NUMEROUS CALLS TO US, WHICH WE DID NOT RESPOND TO. HOWEVER, WHEN I CALLED HIM, I GOT AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE AND HE WASN'T SURE WHO WE WERE.

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.