Narrative:

I filed an IFR flight plan from lzu direct to ilm. Requested altitude was 9000 ft MSL and an estimated time en route of 2 hours 30 mins. I received my clearance from lzu via radar vectors to ahn direct ilm as filed. Departure frequency 126.975. Initial assigned altitude was 3000 ft. Prior to reaching ahn, I was handed off to ZTL on frequency 127.5. Upon initial contact with ZTL, I was cleared direct to ilm. I was approximately 5 NM southwest of ahn. I remained on 127.5 as assigned. At approximately 20 NM east of cae, the transmission from the controller working that sector became broken, and I could not hear complete xmissions to and from other aircraft in the sector. At that point, I became concerned that the controller may be trying to contact me for a handoff to another controling agency. I found the nearest frequency for the closest controling agency, which was ZJX. I contacted ZJX on 124.7 and advised them that I could not hear ZTL. I asked the controller if they had been given a handoff for my aircraft, and I was told 'no.' the controller suggested that I contact shaw approach on 125.4. Upon initial contact with shaw, I again explained the situation. The controller asked for my location, which at that point was 20 NM northwest of cae. I was given another squawk code and asked to identify. The controller advised 'radar contact' and advised that they were working on another clearance for me. The controller called back and assigned me another squawk code and asked me to identify. Radar contact was again established and I received an IFR clearance direct to ilm. The controller at shaw asked for my name and departure airport, and advised me that columbia approach requested the information. After a few mins, I was handed off to myrtle beach approach. Upon reaching ilm airspace, I was handed to wilmington approach and tower, and proceeded to land. On the ground, I called shaw approach by telephone to inquire about the situation. I asked the watch supervisor to explain what was going on. He told me that 'shaw had no problem, but that columbia was concerned as to how I transited their sector without contacting them.' the supervisor gave me the number to columbia approach. I called and spoke to someone. He assured me that I had done nothing wrong, and that ZTL 'let one get away from them.' he said they were reviewing the tapes and data to find out why I did not get handed off appropriately. The following day, I called ZTL by phone and asked if the watch supervisor had any information that I should know regarding the incident. He advised me that I had done nothing wrong, and that the problem occurred with a trainee controller. The supervisor advised me that the controller would be 'dealt with' and that the controller would receive additional training in areas found to be deficient.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 EXPERIENCED FREQ FAILURE DURING IFR ENRTE WITH ZTL AT 9000 FT.

Narrative: I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM LZU DIRECT TO ILM. REQUESTED ALT WAS 9000 FT MSL AND AN ESTIMATED TIME ENRTE OF 2 HRS 30 MINS. I RECEIVED MY CLRNC FROM LZU VIA RADAR VECTORS TO AHN DIRECT ILM AS FILED. DEP FREQ 126.975. INITIAL ASSIGNED ALT WAS 3000 FT. PRIOR TO REACHING AHN, I WAS HANDED OFF TO ZTL ON FREQ 127.5. UPON INITIAL CONTACT WITH ZTL, I WAS CLRED DIRECT TO ILM. I WAS APPROX 5 NM SW OF AHN. I REMAINED ON 127.5 AS ASSIGNED. AT APPROX 20 NM E OF CAE, THE XMISSION FROM THE CTLR WORKING THAT SECTOR BECAME BROKEN, AND I COULD NOT HEAR COMPLETE XMISSIONS TO AND FROM OTHER ACFT IN THE SECTOR. AT THAT POINT, I BECAME CONCERNED THAT THE CTLR MAY BE TRYING TO CONTACT ME FOR A HDOF TO ANOTHER CTLING AGENCY. I FOUND THE NEAREST FREQ FOR THE CLOSEST CTLING AGENCY, WHICH WAS ZJX. I CONTACTED ZJX ON 124.7 AND ADVISED THEM THAT I COULD NOT HEAR ZTL. I ASKED THE CTLR IF THEY HAD BEEN GIVEN A HDOF FOR MY ACFT, AND I WAS TOLD 'NO.' THE CTLR SUGGESTED THAT I CONTACT SHAW APCH ON 125.4. UPON INITIAL CONTACT WITH SHAW, I AGAIN EXPLAINED THE SIT. THE CTLR ASKED FOR MY LOCATION, WHICH AT THAT POINT WAS 20 NM NW OF CAE. I WAS GIVEN ANOTHER SQUAWK CODE AND ASKED TO IDENT. THE CTLR ADVISED 'RADAR CONTACT' AND ADVISED THAT THEY WERE WORKING ON ANOTHER CLRNC FOR ME. THE CTLR CALLED BACK AND ASSIGNED ME ANOTHER SQUAWK CODE AND ASKED ME TO IDENT. RADAR CONTACT WAS AGAIN ESTABLISHED AND I RECEIVED AN IFR CLRNC DIRECT TO ILM. THE CTLR AT SHAW ASKED FOR MY NAME AND DEP ARPT, AND ADVISED ME THAT COLUMBIA APCH REQUESTED THE INFO. AFTER A FEW MINS, I WAS HANDED OFF TO MYRTLE BEACH APCH. UPON REACHING ILM AIRSPACE, I WAS HANDED TO WILMINGTON APCH AND TWR, AND PROCEEDED TO LAND. ON THE GND, I CALLED SHAW APCH BY TELEPHONE TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE SIT. I ASKED THE WATCH SUPVR TO EXPLAIN WHAT WAS GOING ON. HE TOLD ME THAT 'SHAW HAD NO PROB, BUT THAT COLUMBIA WAS CONCERNED AS TO HOW I TRANSITED THEIR SECTOR WITHOUT CONTACTING THEM.' THE SUPVR GAVE ME THE NUMBER TO COLUMBIA APCH. I CALLED AND SPOKE TO SOMEONE. HE ASSURED ME THAT I HAD DONE NOTHING WRONG, AND THAT ZTL 'LET ONE GET AWAY FROM THEM.' HE SAID THEY WERE REVIEWING THE TAPES AND DATA TO FIND OUT WHY I DID NOT GET HANDED OFF APPROPRIATELY. THE FOLLOWING DAY, I CALLED ZTL BY PHONE AND ASKED IF THE WATCH SUPVR HAD ANY INFO THAT I SHOULD KNOW REGARDING THE INCIDENT. HE ADVISED ME THAT I HAD DONE NOTHING WRONG, AND THAT THE PROB OCCURRED WITH A TRAINEE CTLR. THE SUPVR ADVISED ME THAT THE CTLR WOULD BE 'DEALT WITH' AND THAT THE CTLR WOULD RECEIVE ADDITIONAL TRAINING IN AREAS FOUND TO BE DEFICIENT.

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.