CRJ100 crew reports lost communication in ZOB airspace at FL230.

Attributes
ACN	705576
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : jhw.vor
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Canadair/Bombardier Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : j29.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 6400 flight time type : 4100
ASRS Report	705576
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 6600
ASRS Report	705634
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We checked in with ZOB just prior to djb. As we were approaching jhw we realized that we hadn't heard from ZOB in a while. We called to see if they still wanted us with them or if they had forgotten to give us a handoff. After several attempts to call ZOB we realized we were out of range. I started looking on my charts for another frequency. The first officer was about to call atl radio to get a good frequency when a company aircraft offered to relay our request to ZOB for us. We communicated our flight number and squawk through company to ZOB and were told she didn't know who we were or where we were supposed to be. We were told to return to our last frequency and we explained that they were our last frequency. We reported our position through company in an attempt to get a frequency. While we were waiting for ATC to remember who we were and give us a good frequency; the first officer dialed in the frequency I pulled off my chart in communication #2. The first officer made positive contact with ATC and was given another frequency from them at the same time company relayed a frequency to me. I dialed in the frequency given to me and after 2 attempts with no answer; we tried the frequency the first officer received. That was the correct frequency. ZOB's failure to give us a handoff was the primary reason for the lost communications. As soon as the crew realized there might be a problem we took corrective action. A lot of time was wasted trying to relay through company. The frequency we pulled off the chart got us on the right frequency in less than 1 min.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ100 CREW RPTS LOST COM IN ZOB AIRSPACE AT FL230.

Narrative: WE CHKED IN WITH ZOB JUST PRIOR TO DJB. AS WE WERE APCHING JHW WE REALIZED THAT WE HADN'T HEARD FROM ZOB IN A WHILE. WE CALLED TO SEE IF THEY STILL WANTED US WITH THEM OR IF THEY HAD FORGOTTEN TO GIVE US A HDOF. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CALL ZOB WE REALIZED WE WERE OUT OF RANGE. I STARTED LOOKING ON MY CHARTS FOR ANOTHER FREQ. THE FO WAS ABOUT TO CALL ATL RADIO TO GET A GOOD FREQ WHEN A COMPANY ACFT OFFERED TO RELAY OUR REQUEST TO ZOB FOR US. WE COMMUNICATED OUR FLT NUMBER AND SQUAWK THROUGH COMPANY TO ZOB AND WERE TOLD SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHO WE WERE OR WHERE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE. WE WERE TOLD TO RETURN TO OUR LAST FREQ AND WE EXPLAINED THAT THEY WERE OUR LAST FREQ. WE RPTED OUR POS THROUGH COMPANY IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET A FREQ. WHILE WE WERE WAITING FOR ATC TO REMEMBER WHO WE WERE AND GIVE US A GOOD FREQ; THE FO DIALED IN THE FREQ I PULLED OFF MY CHART IN COM #2. THE FO MADE POSITIVE CONTACT WITH ATC AND WAS GIVEN ANOTHER FREQ FROM THEM AT THE SAME TIME COMPANY RELAYED A FREQ TO ME. I DIALED IN THE FREQ GIVEN TO ME AND AFTER 2 ATTEMPTS WITH NO ANSWER; WE TRIED THE FREQ THE FO RECEIVED. THAT WAS THE CORRECT FREQ. ZOB'S FAILURE TO GIVE US A HDOF WAS THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THE LOST COMS. AS SOON AS THE CREW REALIZED THERE MIGHT BE A PROB WE TOOK CORRECTIVE ACTION. A LOT OF TIME WAS WASTED TRYING TO RELAY THROUGH COMPANY. THE FREQ WE PULLED OFF THE CHART GOT US ON THE RIGHT FREQ IN LESS THAN 1 MIN.

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.