Air carrier large transport unable contact departure controller after takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	80702
Time
Date	198801
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : star departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	80702
Person 2
Function	controller : handoff position
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Initial clearance was to depart via the cincinnati 1 departure on runway 18. Runway heading to 6000' MSL. The aircraft ahead was told to maintain 4000' MSL. After takeoff clearance, we accelerated, took off and started our climb. Following a long delay after takeoff, I called tower for permission to go over to departure control. There was no response. After waiting some additional time, I tried tower again with no reply. We were climbing through about 3500' MSL at this time. At this time, I elected to contact departure on 124.65 MHZ. No reply on 2 radios. Back to tower, no reply. Then, after another attempt to tower at 4100' MSL, tower responds and asks if I received the 4000' MSL restriction. I replied no, and that there was no contact on departure frequency. They said, 'never mind, climb and maintain 6000' MSL.' this was our initial clearance. After this, tower directed us again to go to 124.65. Again, no reply for departure on several attempts on 2 different radios. All this time we are headed 180 degrees (runway heading) when we are supposed to be headed east. Again we went back to tower, advised them of no contact. They assigned us 128.7 mgz. We then were able to receive departure. We asked departure about 124.65 and they said everyone else could hear them but us. However, we overheard, while eavesdropping on the published departure frequency of 124.7, departure control request radio checks on 124.65 and nobody else could hear them either. There are several problems here in cincinnati. The first is overloaded controllers who cannot respond promptly and who can't recall who they gave clrncs to. This has been a constant state of affairs for at least 1 yr! Second, a system of aircraft sequencing which is very inefficient for both arrs and departures, and thirdly, a crew of arrogant controllers and supervisors who are behind but assume it is everybody else's fault. If cvg and indianapolis center don't get their act together soon, this will be the sight of the next midair collision.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT UNABLE CONTACT DEP CTLR AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: INITIAL CLRNC WAS TO DEPART VIA THE CINCINNATI 1 DEP ON RWY 18. RWY HDG TO 6000' MSL. THE ACFT AHEAD WAS TOLD TO MAINTAIN 4000' MSL. AFTER TKOF CLRNC, WE ACCELERATED, TOOK OFF AND STARTED OUR CLB. FOLLOWING A LONG DELAY AFTER TKOF, I CALLED TWR FOR PERMISSION TO GO OVER TO DEP CTL. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. AFTER WAITING SOME ADDITIONAL TIME, I TRIED TWR AGAIN WITH NO REPLY. WE WERE CLBING THROUGH ABOUT 3500' MSL AT THIS TIME. AT THIS TIME, I ELECTED TO CONTACT DEP ON 124.65 MHZ. NO REPLY ON 2 RADIOS. BACK TO TWR, NO REPLY. THEN, AFTER ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO TWR AT 4100' MSL, TWR RESPONDS AND ASKS IF I RECEIVED THE 4000' MSL RESTRICTION. I REPLIED NO, AND THAT THERE WAS NO CONTACT ON DEP FREQ. THEY SAID, 'NEVER MIND, CLB AND MAINTAIN 6000' MSL.' THIS WAS OUR INITIAL CLRNC. AFTER THIS, TWR DIRECTED US AGAIN TO GO TO 124.65. AGAIN, NO REPLY FOR DEP ON SEVERAL ATTEMPTS ON 2 DIFFERENT RADIOS. ALL THIS TIME WE ARE HEADED 180 DEGS (RWY HDG) WHEN WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HEADED E. AGAIN WE WENT BACK TO TWR, ADVISED THEM OF NO CONTACT. THEY ASSIGNED US 128.7 MGZ. WE THEN WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE DEP. WE ASKED DEP ABOUT 124.65 AND THEY SAID EVERYONE ELSE COULD HEAR THEM BUT US. HOWEVER, WE OVERHEARD, WHILE EAVESDROPPING ON THE PUBLISHED DEP FREQ OF 124.7, DEP CTL REQUEST RADIO CHKS ON 124.65 AND NOBODY ELSE COULD HEAR THEM EITHER. THERE ARE SEVERAL PROBS HERE IN CINCINNATI. THE FIRST IS OVERLOADED CTLRS WHO CANNOT RESPOND PROMPTLY AND WHO CAN'T RECALL WHO THEY GAVE CLRNCS TO. THIS HAS BEEN A CONSTANT STATE OF AFFAIRS FOR AT LEAST 1 YR! SECOND, A SYSTEM OF ACFT SEQUENCING WHICH IS VERY INEFFICIENT FOR BOTH ARRS AND DEPS, AND THIRDLY, A CREW OF ARROGANT CTLRS AND SUPVRS WHO ARE BEHIND BUT ASSUME IT IS EVERYBODY ELSE'S FAULT. IF CVG AND INDIANAPOLIS CENTER DON'T GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER SOON, THIS WILL BE THE SIGHT OF THE NEXT MIDAIR COLLISION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.