Narrative:

On may/xa/06 I was the captain and PF on aircraft X. The first officer was handling the radios. Our destination was mem; and we were flying the wlder 4 arrival. At clark intersection we turned to a heading of 175 degrees; communication was normal on 125.8. We were sent to the final controller on 120.92. This controller gave us a descent to 3000 ft. At that time we were approximately abeam mem. During the descent to 3000 ft; we did notice that the frequency was quiet. Initially it did not alert us that anything was wrong; since we had just checked in on the frequency and did not know how much traffic he was controling. After about 1 1/2 mins; the first officer said 'it sure is quiet.' I told the first officer to check back in the controller; he asked 'how do you hear me?' the first officer replied 'loud and clear.' the controller stated that he had been trying to get a hold of us; then gave us vectors followed by a clearance for the ILS runway 36R approach. Nothing else was said! Unknown to us; the controller was trying to work another aircraft Y on a base entry ahead of us (we were on downwind). This would have worked; except he allowed aircraft Y to deviate; creating the potential conflict. The controller tried to reach us 3-4 times at 20 second intervals (did not try 121.5; which we were on); and during that time did not give aircraft Y any directives. After the attempts to reach us; he did give aircraft Y a heading; but we and aircraft Y got slightly less than 3 mi from each other. In a sterile cockpit; it is still possible to miss a radio call. It is conceivable to miss 2 radio calls; but not 3 or 4 calls. After 2 call attempts in the approach environment; the controller has got to assume lost communication and take the appropriate action.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HVY JET ON VECTORS FOR AN ILS APCH LOSES CONTACT WITH APCH. SEPARATION LOSS RESULTS.

Narrative: ON MAY/XA/06 I WAS THE CAPT AND PF ON ACFT X. THE FO WAS HANDLING THE RADIOS. OUR DEST WAS MEM; AND WE WERE FLYING THE WLDER 4 ARR. AT CLARK INTXN WE TURNED TO A HDG OF 175 DEGS; COM WAS NORMAL ON 125.8. WE WERE SENT TO THE FINAL CTLR ON 120.92. THIS CTLR GAVE US A DSCNT TO 3000 FT. AT THAT TIME WE WERE APPROX ABEAM MEM. DURING THE DSCNT TO 3000 FT; WE DID NOTICE THAT THE FREQ WAS QUIET. INITIALLY IT DID NOT ALERT US THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG; SINCE WE HAD JUST CHKED IN ON THE FREQ AND DID NOT KNOW HOW MUCH TFC HE WAS CTLING. AFTER ABOUT 1 1/2 MINS; THE FO SAID 'IT SURE IS QUIET.' I TOLD THE FO TO CHK BACK IN THE CTLR; HE ASKED 'HOW DO YOU HEAR ME?' THE FO REPLIED 'LOUD AND CLR.' THE CTLR STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN TRYING TO GET A HOLD OF US; THEN GAVE US VECTORS FOLLOWED BY A CLRNC FOR THE ILS RWY 36R APCH. NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID! UNKNOWN TO US; THE CTLR WAS TRYING TO WORK ANOTHER ACFT Y ON A BASE ENTRY AHEAD OF US (WE WERE ON DOWNWIND). THIS WOULD HAVE WORKED; EXCEPT HE ALLOWED ACFT Y TO DEVIATE; CREATING THE POTENTIAL CONFLICT. THE CTLR TRIED TO REACH US 3-4 TIMES AT 20 SECOND INTERVALS (DID NOT TRY 121.5; WHICH WE WERE ON); AND DURING THAT TIME DID NOT GIVE ACFT Y ANY DIRECTIVES. AFTER THE ATTEMPTS TO REACH US; HE DID GIVE ACFT Y A HDG; BUT WE AND ACFT Y GOT SLIGHTLY LESS THAN 3 MI FROM EACH OTHER. IN A STERILE COCKPIT; IT IS STILL POSSIBLE TO MISS A RADIO CALL. IT IS CONCEIVABLE TO MISS 2 RADIO CALLS; BUT NOT 3 OR 4 CALLS. AFTER 2 CALL ATTEMPTS IN THE APCH ENVIRONMENT; THE CTLR HAS GOT TO ASSUME LOST COM AND TAKE THE APPROPRIATE ACTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.