Narrative:

On arrival to rno we were over fmg at 9000 ft MSL; in the clouds in light to moderate mixed icing with moderate turbulence forecast. We had already established contact with reno approach on 126.3. Over fmg our route in the FMC ended and there were no instructions from ATC to fly a heading after fmg. (Runway 34L back course approachs were in use.) we made 3 calls to rno approach and got no answer. We started an immediate turn to fmg to enter holding and I switched to rno tower and declared we had lost communication with approach and that we needed an immediate heading to fly as we were in the clouds and headed towards rapidly rising terrain. Tower instructed us to fly a 160 degree heading and to contact rno approach on 119.2. Upon establishing contact on 119.2; I realize it was the same controller we had been previously communicating with on 126.3 and he seemed a bit perturbed that we had been calling him while he was 'coordinating.' in sum; we were in the clouds; in light to moderate mixed icing in forecast moderate turbulence (turbulence was never more than light but the forecast was for moderate) and the rno approach controller admitted to us that he made a conscious and deliberate decision to ignore us while we were in the clouds heading into rapidly rising terrain due to the fact he was busy 'coordinating.' completely unsafe in my opinion! ATC should prioritize and provide required services.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PLT DESCRIBES A DSCNT INTO RNO IN ICING AND TURB. THE CTLR DID NOT RESPOND TO CALLS AFTER THEIR CLRNC LIMIT.

Narrative: ON ARR TO RNO WE WERE OVER FMG AT 9000 FT MSL; IN THE CLOUDS IN LIGHT TO MODERATE MIXED ICING WITH MODERATE TURB FORECAST. WE HAD ALREADY ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH RENO APCH ON 126.3. OVER FMG OUR RTE IN THE FMC ENDED AND THERE WERE NO INSTRUCTIONS FROM ATC TO FLY A HDG AFTER FMG. (RWY 34L BACK COURSE APCHS WERE IN USE.) WE MADE 3 CALLS TO RNO APCH AND GOT NO ANSWER. WE STARTED AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO FMG TO ENTER HOLDING AND I SWITCHED TO RNO TWR AND DECLARED WE HAD LOST COM WITH APCH AND THAT WE NEEDED AN IMMEDIATE HDG TO FLY AS WE WERE IN THE CLOUDS AND HEADED TOWARDS RAPIDLY RISING TERRAIN. TWR INSTRUCTED US TO FLY A 160 DEG HDG AND TO CONTACT RNO APCH ON 119.2. UPON ESTABLISHING CONTACT ON 119.2; I REALIZE IT WAS THE SAME CTLR WE HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY COMMUNICATING WITH ON 126.3 AND HE SEEMED A BIT PERTURBED THAT WE HAD BEEN CALLING HIM WHILE HE WAS 'COORDINATING.' IN SUM; WE WERE IN THE CLOUDS; IN LIGHT TO MODERATE MIXED ICING IN FORECAST MODERATE TURB (TURB WAS NEVER MORE THAN LIGHT BUT THE FORECAST WAS FOR MODERATE) AND THE RNO APCH CTLR ADMITTED TO US THAT HE MADE A CONSCIOUS AND DELIBERATE DECISION TO IGNORE US WHILE WE WERE IN THE CLOUDS HEADING INTO RAPIDLY RISING TERRAIN DUE TO THE FACT HE WAS BUSY 'COORDINATING.' COMPLETELY UNSAFE IN MY OPINION! ATC SHOULD PRIORITIZE AND PROVIDE REQUIRED SVCS.

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.