A B737-400 pilot comments on a jnu-sea flight in which an altitude clearance at 13000 ft limited com...

Attributes
ACN	700444
Time
Date	200606
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : marmn
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl single value : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : jnu.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	700444
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 4
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure ATC Facility
Primary Problem	Airspace Structure

Narrative:

Clearance to sea was marmn departure snett; direct yyj; sea; maintain FL350. On departure; jnu tower amended the altitude to maintain 13000 ft. On climb out; we entered IMC and were unable to contact anc center on 133.2 (as assigned) or 133.9 (as published). Prior to marmn; I called jnu tower and asked them to get a further climb clearance for us; as we were leveling 13000 ft; unable to contact anc center; and needed to keep climbing. After a minute or so; jnu tower said anc said to re-attempt contact with them. We were now past marmn and approaching snett. I was still unable to contact anc center. I called jnu FSS on 122.55 and asked them to get a climb clearance for us and that we were about to enter a hold at snett at 13000 ft. They acknowledged. Not hearing back from them; and arriving at snett; I directed the first officer (PF) to enter a hold at snett. My concern was that after snett we had a direct clearance to yyj (many hundred miles down the road); were off airway (no MEA); and I was not sure we were going to be able to get a climb clearance any time soon. 13000 ft is barely above the vicinity MSA of around 12600 ft. After entering the standard hold (high terrain would be on the other side of the hold) at snett at 13000 ft; jnu FSS called back with a climb clearance to FL320. We had made one turn at snett. We re-attempted anc center on 133.2 and finally got them at about FL200 after passing snett southeast bound direct yyj. Our inability to contact anc center after being given a (low) altitude restriction with no efc clearance and off airway direct routing; put us in an uncomfortable position on departure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-400 PLT COMMENTS ON A JNU-SEA FLT IN WHICH AN ALT CLRNC AT 13000 FT LIMITED COMMUNICATION WITH ATC; CAUSING HIM TO HOLD ON AIRWAY UNTIL A HIGHER ALT CLRNC ABOVE MSA COULD BE RELAYED.

Narrative: CLRNC TO SEA WAS MARMN DEP SNETT; DIRECT YYJ; SEA; MAINTAIN FL350. ON DEP; JNU TWR AMENDED THE ALT TO MAINTAIN 13000 FT. ON CLB OUT; WE ENTERED IMC AND WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT ANC CTR ON 133.2 (AS ASSIGNED) OR 133.9 (AS PUBLISHED). PRIOR TO MARMN; I CALLED JNU TWR AND ASKED THEM TO GET A FURTHER CLB CLRNC FOR US; AS WE WERE LEVELING 13000 FT; UNABLE TO CONTACT ANC CTR; AND NEEDED TO KEEP CLBING. AFTER A MINUTE OR SO; JNU TWR SAID ANC SAID TO RE-ATTEMPT CONTACT WITH THEM. WE WERE NOW PAST MARMN AND APCHING SNETT. I WAS STILL UNABLE TO CONTACT ANC CTR. I CALLED JNU FSS ON 122.55 AND ASKED THEM TO GET A CLB CLRNC FOR US AND THAT WE WERE ABOUT TO ENTER A HOLD AT SNETT AT 13000 FT. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED. NOT HEARING BACK FROM THEM; AND ARRIVING AT SNETT; I DIRECTED THE FO (PF) TO ENTER A HOLD AT SNETT. MY CONCERN WAS THAT AFTER SNETT WE HAD A DIRECT CLRNC TO YYJ (MANY HUNDRED MILES DOWN THE ROAD); WERE OFF AIRWAY (NO MEA); AND I WAS NOT SURE WE WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET A CLB CLRNC ANY TIME SOON. 13000 FT IS BARELY ABOVE THE VICINITY MSA OF AROUND 12600 FT. AFTER ENTERING THE STANDARD HOLD (HIGH TERRAIN WOULD BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HOLD) AT SNETT AT 13000 FT; JNU FSS CALLED BACK WITH A CLB CLRNC TO FL320. WE HAD MADE ONE TURN AT SNETT. WE RE-ATTEMPTED ANC CTR ON 133.2 AND FINALLY GOT THEM AT ABOUT FL200 AFTER PASSING SNETT SE BOUND DIRECT YYJ. OUR INABILITY TO CONTACT ANC CTR AFTER BEING GIVEN A (LOW) ALT RESTRICTION WITH NO EFC CLRNC AND OFF AIRWAY DIRECT ROUTING; PUT US IN AN UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION ON DEP.

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.

A B737-400 pilot comments on a jnu-sea flight in which an altitude clearance at 13000 ft limited communication with ATC; causing him to hold on airway until a higher altitude clearance above MSA could be relayed.