Loss of communication frequency suffered by the crew of a B737 at FL370 off frequency with ZAB, NM.

Attributes
ACN	611999
Time
Date	200403
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : abq.artcc
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl single value : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 12500 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	611999
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Environmental Factor Aircraft Navigational Facility

Narrative:

En route from phx, we were on ZAB frequency. We continued to hear voices talking on the frequency. We did not receive nor respond to any frequency change requests. Soon, all we heard were pilot responses. At this point, we were just leaving colorado. We tried relaying through another aircraft on the original abq frequency and got a new frequency. We tried the new one with no response. Again we relayed through another aircraft and got a frequency and again got no response. After a second try, the controller answered and said we were now on the correct frequency. This was ZKC. The radios worked fine for the rest of the trip. I don't know if a controller let us fly out of their frequency range or if they tried switching us, but we never heard, nor responded to a frequency change.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF COM FREQ SUFFERED BY THE CREW OF A B737 AT FL370 OFF FREQ WITH ZAB, NM.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM PHX, WE WERE ON ZAB FREQ. WE CONTINUED TO HEAR VOICES TALKING ON THE FREQ. WE DID NOT RECEIVE NOR RESPOND TO ANY FREQ CHANGE REQUESTS. SOON, ALL WE HEARD WERE PLT RESPONSES. AT THIS POINT, WE WERE JUST LEAVING COLORADO. WE TRIED RELAYING THROUGH ANOTHER ACFT ON THE ORIGINAL ABQ FREQ AND GOT A NEW FREQ. WE TRIED THE NEW ONE WITH NO RESPONSE. AGAIN WE RELAYED THROUGH ANOTHER ACFT AND GOT A FREQ AND AGAIN GOT NO RESPONSE. AFTER A SECOND TRY, THE CTLR ANSWERED AND SAID WE WERE NOW ON THE CORRECT FREQ. THIS WAS ZKC. THE RADIOS WORKED FINE FOR THE REST OF THE TRIP. I DON'T KNOW IF A CTLR LET US FLY OUT OF THEIR FREQ RANGE OR IF THEY TRIED SWITCHING US, BUT WE NEVER HEARD, NOR RESPONDED TO A FREQ CHANGE.

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.