Narrative:

I took a handoff on light transport X at 60. He reported on frequency with the ATIS (U) at 60. I issued a heading of 270 and descent to 3800 and advised him that this was a vector for the ILS runway 33 final approach course. In about 15 miles I turned him left to 260 and received acknowledgement. When the aircraft was 2 1/2 east of the localizer and 4 southeast of the vinton NDB I advised of his position, tuned him right to 300, instructed to maintain 3800 till established on the localizer and cleared him for the ILS 33 approach. No acknowledgement, not that unusual so I called to see if they had heard the clearance. I called several times, sort of panicking a little. They continued without turning or acknowledging. I had the west man punch up my frequency and try it because our frequencys go out of service quite often. No response. As the light transport passed 2-3 miles west of the localizer course local called and said light transport was talking to the clearance delivery position asking if he should track the localizer inbound. We relayed that he could and the light transport turned inbound and was changed from clearance delivery to local to complete the approach and land. The aircraft was on a heg directly at a mountain that was within 200' of his altitude, 6 more miles at his speed, it would have only taken 2 minutes. We usually try to vector with altitude sep on opposite sides of the final just in case something like this happens, but it can't always be done. In this case, light transport X had no traffic except for the mountain. I'm starting to believe what I read in the papers. When the controllers start losing confidence in air carrier pilots and worry over them like students, we're in bad shape! When the supervisor contacted the pilots, they could offer no clue as to how they got changed to 119.7 from 119.05. Supplemental information from acn 89938. At approximately 15 NM I instructed the first officer to tune the ILS 33 (109.7) and back my side up. He dialed the #2 comm to 119.7 and I didn't notice what he had done. I dialed his navigation to 109.7 because the navigation #2 is on my side of the panel. Hearing no instructions from approach I asked if they wanted me to intercept the localizer and track in inbound. The response was 'you are broadcasting on 119.7' due to the fact that the radio installations are not standard between the other airplanes. Some have the #1 navigation on the left and the #2 navigation on the right. This airplane had both navs on the left.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LTT LOST COM WITH CENTER AND PROCEEDED THROUGH FINAL APCH COURSE TOWARD TERRAIN.

Narrative: I TOOK A HANDOFF ON LTT X AT 60. HE RPTED ON FREQ WITH THE ATIS (U) AT 60. I ISSUED A HDG OF 270 AND DSCNT TO 3800 AND ADVISED HIM THAT THIS WAS A VECTOR FOR THE ILS RWY 33 FINAL APCH COURSE. IN ABOUT 15 MILES I TURNED HIM L TO 260 AND RECEIVED ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. WHEN THE ACFT WAS 2 1/2 EAST OF THE LOC AND 4 SE OF THE VINTON NDB I ADVISED OF HIS POS, TUNED HIM RIGHT TO 300, INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN 3800 TILL ESTABLISHED ON THE LOC AND CLRED HIM FOR THE ILS 33 APCH. NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, NOT THAT UNUSUAL SO I CALLED TO SEE IF THEY HAD HEARD THE CLRNC. I CALLED SEVERAL TIMES, SORT OF PANICKING A LITTLE. THEY CONTINUED WITHOUT TURNING OR ACKNOWLEDGING. I HAD THE WEST MAN PUNCH UP MY FREQ AND TRY IT BECAUSE OUR FREQS GO OUT OF SVC QUITE OFTEN. NO RESPONSE. AS THE LTT PASSED 2-3 MILES WEST OF THE LOC COURSE LOCAL CALLED AND SAID LTT WAS TALKING TO THE CLRNC DELIVERY POS ASKING IF HE SHOULD TRACK THE LOC INBND. WE RELAYED THAT HE COULD AND THE LTT TURNED INBND AND WAS CHANGED FROM CD TO LCL TO COMPLETE THE APCH AND LAND. THE ACFT WAS ON A HEG DIRECTLY AT A MOUNTAIN THAT WAS WITHIN 200' OF HIS ALT, 6 MORE MILES AT HIS SPD, IT WOULD HAVE ONLY TAKEN 2 MINUTES. WE USUALLY TRY TO VECTOR WITH ALT SEP ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE FINAL JUST IN CASE SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS, BUT IT CAN'T ALWAYS BE DONE. IN THIS CASE, LTT X HAD NO TFC EXCEPT FOR THE MOUNTAIN. I'M STARTING TO BELIEVE WHAT I READ IN THE PAPERS. WHEN THE CTLRS START LOSING CONFIDENCE IN AIR CARRIER PLTS AND WORRY OVER THEM LIKE STUDENTS, WE'RE IN BAD SHAPE! WHEN THE SUPERVISOR CONTACTED THE PLTS, THEY COULD OFFER NO CLUE AS TO HOW THEY GOT CHANGED TO 119.7 FROM 119.05. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 89938. AT APPROX 15 NM I INSTRUCTED THE F/O TO TUNE THE ILS 33 (109.7) AND BACK MY SIDE UP. HE DIALED THE #2 COMM TO 119.7 AND I DIDN'T NOTICE WHAT HE HAD DONE. I DIALED HIS NAV TO 109.7 BECAUSE THE NAV #2 IS ON MY SIDE OF THE PANEL. HEARING NO INSTRUCTIONS FROM APCH I ASKED IF THEY WANTED ME TO INTERCEPT THE LOC AND TRACK IN INBND. THE RESPONSE WAS 'YOU ARE BROADCASTING ON 119.7' DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE RADIO INSTALLATIONS ARE NOT STANDARD BTWN THE OTHER AIRPLANES. SOME HAVE THE #1 NAV ON THE LEFT AND THE #2 NAV ON THE RIGHT. THIS AIRPLANE HAD BOTH NAVS ON THE LEFT.

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.