Narrative:

On this flight, I was the captain and the non flying pilot. During descent phase, I was receiving ATIS and conversing to find out arrival gate, aircraft, preparations, etc, and programming the FMGC (FMS). I was off the primary ATC communication radio for 5 to 10 mins and had passed this duty to the first officer. Upon my return to our primary ATC communication radio, I realized we were high on the descent profile on the STAR. I called washington center and received a response to the effect that 'we've been unable to contact you after several attempts. We thought we might have to scramble the fighters. Descend now to maintain 15000 ft....' the first officer commenced a steep descent, made the restriction, and we were handed off to pct approach with an admonishment to 'be careful out there, no scramble needed, have a safe night.' approach and landing uneventful thereafter. In retrospect, we had a CRM lapse combined with a communication error. We debriefed on this and hopefully clarified the gaps in performance. Next evening's flight was much more procedurally and technically on the ball.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON ARRIVAL TO BWI, DISTR BY ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS AND COMPANY RADIO PROCS, THE PNF OF AN A320 CEDED ATC COMS TO HIS FO WHO FAILED TO RESPOND TO ATC AND EVENTUALLY LOST COM.

Narrative: ON THIS FLT, I WAS THE CAPT AND THE NON FLYING PLT. DURING DESCENT PHASE, I WAS RECEIVING ATIS AND CONVERSING TO FIND OUT ARRIVAL GATE, ACFT, PREPARATIONS, ETC, AND PROGRAMMING THE FMGC (FMS). I WAS OFF THE PRIMARY ATC COM RADIO FOR 5 TO 10 MINS AND HAD PASSED THIS DUTY TO THE FO. UPON MY RETURN TO OUR PRIMARY ATC COM RADIO, I REALIZED WE WERE HIGH ON THE DESCENT PROFILE ON THE STAR. I CALLED WASHINGTON CTR AND RECEIVED A RESPONSE TO THE EFFECT THAT 'WE'VE BEEN UNABLE TO CONTACT YOU AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. WE THOUGHT WE MIGHT HAVE TO SCRAMBLE THE FIGHTERS. DESCEND NOW TO MAINTAIN 15000 FT....' THE FO COMMENCED A STEEP DESCENT, MADE THE RESTRICTION, AND WE WERE HANDED OFF TO PCT APCH WITH AN ADMONISHMENT TO 'BE CAREFUL OUT THERE, NO SCRAMBLE NEEDED, HAVE A SAFE NIGHT.' APCH AND LNDG UNEVENTFUL THEREAFTER. IN RETROSPECT, WE HAD A CRM LAPSE COMBINED WITH A COM ERROR. WE DEBRIEFED ON THIS AND HOPEFULLY CLARIFIED THE GAPS IN PERFORMANCE. NEXT EVENING'S FLT WAS MUCH MORE PROCEDURALLY AND TECHNICALLY ON THE BALL.

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.