Narrative:

While working the radar position at about XA15; I heard aircraft X call aircraft Y over the 121.5 emergency frequency. This is not uncommon; but annoying because it comes out the same loudspeaker as the landline calls and; thus; must be fairly loud. There was no response to aircraft X's call. A few mins later; aircraft X again called aircraft Y. I assumed at this point that aircraft Y must have gone NORDO and aircraft X was trying to help locate him. Again; no response. At about XA25; after aircraft X had called aircraft Y for the third of fourth time on the emergency frequency. Aircraft Y responded with; 'are you calling aircraft Z or aircraft Y?' aircraft X replied; 'I'm calling aircraft Y en route to laguardia.' aircraft Y replied; 'this is aircraft Y.' at this point; aircraft X said; 'we're going to be arriving just a few mins behind you; so would you hold the van for us so we can get to the hotel?' I keyed up and said; 'this doesn't sound like an emergency.' both pilots then responded with comments about; 'where's the guard police when you need them?' and 'must not be a very busy night.' apparently these pilots who were at FL350 and FL390 don't realize that; at those altitudes; their radio range is several hundred mi. Since this emergency frequency is monitored at every ATC facility; I suspect that their conversation came out over the loudspeakers in at least 3 ctrs (ZTL; ZME and ZJX); probably a dozen approach controls (including A80); dozens of towers; multiple rco outlets at AFSS plus in hundreds of commercial aircraft cockpits. I suspect someone; at one of these locations was busy and was probably distraction; at least momentarily; from their primary safety function. I also suspect that the airline has some other method for inter-aircraft communications. It is events like this that make controllers; and probably pilots; instinctively turn down a speaker that is making noise in the backgnd. A subsequent actual emergency call could go unheard because these gentlemen chose the inappropriate means to communicate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MGM CTLR DESCRIBED EVENT WHEN TWO ACR'S; AT ALT; UTILIZED 121.5 EMER FREQ TO COORD TRANSPORTATION TO THE HOTEL AT THEIR DESTINATION ARPT.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING THE RADAR POS AT ABOUT XA15; I HEARD ACFT X CALL ACFT Y OVER THE 121.5 EMER FREQ. THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON; BUT ANNOYING BECAUSE IT COMES OUT THE SAME LOUDSPEAKER AS THE LANDLINE CALLS AND; THUS; MUST BE FAIRLY LOUD. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO ACFT X'S CALL. A FEW MINS LATER; ACFT X AGAIN CALLED ACFT Y. I ASSUMED AT THIS POINT THAT ACFT Y MUST HAVE GONE NORDO AND ACFT X WAS TRYING TO HELP LOCATE HIM. AGAIN; NO RESPONSE. AT ABOUT XA25; AFTER ACFT X HAD CALLED ACFT Y FOR THE THIRD OF FOURTH TIME ON THE EMER FREQ. ACFT Y RESPONDED WITH; 'ARE YOU CALLING ACFT Z OR ACFT Y?' ACFT X REPLIED; 'I'M CALLING ACFT Y ENRTE TO LAGUARDIA.' ACFT Y REPLIED; 'THIS IS ACFT Y.' AT THIS POINT; ACFT X SAID; 'WE'RE GOING TO BE ARRIVING JUST A FEW MINS BEHIND YOU; SO WOULD YOU HOLD THE VAN FOR US SO WE CAN GET TO THE HOTEL?' I KEYED UP AND SAID; 'THIS DOESN'T SOUND LIKE AN EMER.' BOTH PLTS THEN RESPONDED WITH COMMENTS ABOUT; 'WHERE'S THE GUARD POLICE WHEN YOU NEED THEM?' AND 'MUST NOT BE A VERY BUSY NIGHT.' APPARENTLY THESE PLTS WHO WERE AT FL350 AND FL390 DON'T REALIZE THAT; AT THOSE ALTS; THEIR RADIO RANGE IS SEVERAL HUNDRED MI. SINCE THIS EMER FREQ IS MONITORED AT EVERY ATC FACILITY; I SUSPECT THAT THEIR CONVERSATION CAME OUT OVER THE LOUDSPEAKERS IN AT LEAST 3 CTRS (ZTL; ZME AND ZJX); PROBABLY A DOZEN APCH CTLS (INCLUDING A80); DOZENS OF TWRS; MULTIPLE RCO OUTLETS AT AFSS PLUS IN HUNDREDS OF COMMERCIAL ACFT COCKPITS. I SUSPECT SOMEONE; AT ONE OF THESE LOCATIONS WAS BUSY AND WAS PROBABLY DISTR; AT LEAST MOMENTARILY; FROM THEIR PRIMARY SAFETY FUNCTION. I ALSO SUSPECT THAT THE AIRLINE HAS SOME OTHER METHOD FOR INTER-ACFT COMS. IT IS EVENTS LIKE THIS THAT MAKE CTLRS; AND PROBABLY PLTS; INSTINCTIVELY TURN DOWN A SPEAKER THAT IS MAKING NOISE IN THE BACKGND. A SUBSEQUENT ACTUAL EMER CALL COULD GO UNHEARD BECAUSE THESE GENTLEMEN CHOSE THE INAPPROPRIATE MEANS TO COMMUNICATE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.