GA small aircraft failed to make frequency change until 40 NM into adjacent ARTCC sector.

Attributes
ACN	93822
Time
Date	198809
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mgw
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v44
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 28 flight time total : 296 flight time type : 275
ASRS Report	93822
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

IFR flight from columbus, oh (osu) to manassas, va (wio). After being handed off to cleveland center upon passing the zanesville VORTAC on R144 eastbound, I flew direct to the morgantown VORTAC and then R44 direct martinsburg VORTAC. Approximately 7 NM west of martinsburg, I contacted cleveland center to inquire about a frequency change and was informed I should have been talking to washington center for the past 40 NM! I immediately contacted washington center where I was handed off the dulles approach and proceeded to manassas airport west/O further incident. Upon closer review of the low altitude en route chart, I did notice that a frequency change should take place 34 NM east of the morgantown VORTAC on V44 at the lizio international. In retrospect, I know I should have been paying closer attention to the chart rather than marveling at my 163 KT ground speed at 11000'. The long period in which I was not contacted or did not receive a frequency change from cleveland center should have alerted me to the fact there was a problem, where I could have made an earlier inquiry rather than traveling 53 NM into washington center airspace west/O contacting them.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA FAILED TO MAKE FREQ CHANGE UNTIL 40 NM INTO ADJACENT ARTCC SECTOR.

Narrative: IFR FLT FROM COLUMBUS, OH (OSU) TO MANASSAS, VA (WIO). AFTER BEING HANDED OFF TO CLEVELAND CENTER UPON PASSING THE ZANESVILLE VORTAC ON R144 EBND, I FLEW DIRECT TO THE MORGANTOWN VORTAC AND THEN R44 DIRECT MARTINSBURG VORTAC. APPROX 7 NM W OF MARTINSBURG, I CONTACTED CLEVELAND CENTER TO INQUIRE ABOUT A FREQ CHANGE AND WAS INFORMED I SHOULD HAVE BEEN TALKING TO WASHINGTON CENTER FOR THE PAST 40 NM! I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED WASHINGTON CENTER WHERE I WAS HANDED OFF THE DULLES APCH AND PROCEEDED TO MANASSAS ARPT W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. UPON CLOSER REVIEW OF THE LOW ALT ENRTE CHART, I DID NOTICE THAT A FREQ CHANGE SHOULD TAKE PLACE 34 NM E OF THE MORGANTOWN VORTAC ON V44 AT THE LIZIO INTL. IN RETROSPECT, I KNOW I SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAYING CLOSER ATTN TO THE CHART RATHER THAN MARVELING AT MY 163 KT GND SPEED AT 11000'. THE LONG PERIOD IN WHICH I WAS NOT CONTACTED OR DID NOT RECEIVE A FREQ CHANGE FROM CLEVELAND CENTER SHOULD HAVE ALERTED ME TO THE FACT THERE WAS A PROB, WHERE I COULD HAVE MADE AN EARLIER INQUIRY RATHER THAN TRAVELING 53 NM INTO WASHINGTON CENTER AIRSPACE W/O CONTACTING THEM.

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.