An MD10 flight crew lost communication on approach to lax when the first officer tuned the wrong fre...

Attributes
ACN	704924
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : gramm
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-10 Conversion
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : civet
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 111 flight time total : 15141 flight time type : 416
ASRS Report	704924
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was cleared for the civet 5 arrival into lax with a descent clearance to FL190 only. I was then handed off to next controller and my first officer copied the wrong frequency down. When no response from ATC she thought she then remembered the correct frequency and placed it in the standby box; thus losing the previous good frequency from the control head. We then scrambled to find correct frequency. I decided to maintain previously assigned altitude until the problem was resolved. The WX at the time of the incident was clear. I therefore was unable to comply with any of the altitude restrs on the arrival. Once communication was reestablished with ATC I was given lower altitudes and vectors for the ILS approach. We discussed proper radio procedures on the ground to be sure we understand why it happened and how to avoid the problem in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD10 FLT CREW LOST COM ON APCH TO LAX WHEN THE FO TUNED THE WRONG FREQ.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED FOR THE CIVET 5 ARR INTO LAX WITH A DSCNT CLRNC TO FL190 ONLY. I WAS THEN HANDED OFF TO NEXT CTLR AND MY FO COPIED THE WRONG FREQ DOWN. WHEN NO RESPONSE FROM ATC SHE THOUGHT SHE THEN REMEMBERED THE CORRECT FREQ AND PLACED IT IN THE STANDBY BOX; THUS LOSING THE PREVIOUS GOOD FREQ FROM THE CTL HEAD. WE THEN SCRAMBLED TO FIND CORRECT FREQ. I DECIDED TO MAINTAIN PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED ALT UNTIL THE PROB WAS RESOLVED. THE WX AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WAS CLR. I THEREFORE WAS UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH ANY OF THE ALT RESTRS ON THE ARR. ONCE COM WAS REESTABLISHED WITH ATC I WAS GIVEN LOWER ALTS AND VECTORS FOR THE ILS APCH. WE DISCUSSED PROPER RADIO PROCS ON THE GND TO BE SURE WE UNDERSTAND WHY IT HAPPENED AND HOW TO AVOID THE PROB IN THE FUTURE.

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.

An MD10 flight crew lost communication on approach to lax when the first officer tuned the wrong frequency.