ARTCC was unable to contact aircraft for a period of time.

Attributes
ACN	94738
Time
Date	198809
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : abq
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl bound lower : 39000 msl bound upper : 39000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	94738
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During the period in question, 2-WAY radio communication (transmission and receipt) had been nonexistent for several mins. Presently, we received a SELCAL (4 tone chime) from our company operations center, together with a graphic to contact ATC on the frequency to which we were already tuned. I picked up the microphone and contacted the center. The controller told me he had been trying to contact me for several mins (having made 6 attempts to do so). I assured him that we had heard nothing. He responded by giving us a new frequency to contact. We switched over and nothing further was done or said relative to this incident. Please note, however, that there had been absolutely no conversation between the cockpit crew members at time of this occurrence. Also, when we looked at it the MCP displayed 200 K, 10000' and 000 degrees. Yet we were traveling approximately 270 degrees at 39000' and were not in speed intervention. There were no faults listed on the lower EICAS or either CDU. Could an extended power interruption to avionics have caused the system to default west/O ever giving us any warnings? Would this have caused an interruption in our radio communications?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT ACFT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.

Narrative: DURING THE PERIOD IN QUESTION, 2-WAY RADIO COM (XMISSION AND RECEIPT) HAD BEEN NONEXISTENT FOR SEVERAL MINS. PRESENTLY, WE RECEIVED A SELCAL (4 TONE CHIME) FROM OUR COMPANY OPS CENTER, TOGETHER WITH A GRAPHIC TO CONTACT ATC ON THE FREQ TO WHICH WE WERE ALREADY TUNED. I PICKED UP THE MIC AND CONTACTED THE CENTER. THE CTLR TOLD ME HE HAD BEEN TRYING TO CONTACT ME FOR SEVERAL MINS (HAVING MADE 6 ATTEMPTS TO DO SO). I ASSURED HIM THAT WE HAD HEARD NOTHING. HE RESPONDED BY GIVING US A NEW FREQ TO CONTACT. WE SWITCHED OVER AND NOTHING FURTHER WAS DONE OR SAID RELATIVE TO THIS INCIDENT. PLEASE NOTE, HOWEVER, THAT THERE HAD BEEN ABSOLUTELY NO CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE COCKPIT CREW MEMBERS AT TIME OF THIS OCCURRENCE. ALSO, WHEN WE LOOKED AT IT THE MCP DISPLAYED 200 K, 10000' AND 000 DEGS. YET WE WERE TRAVELING APPROX 270 DEGS AT 39000' AND WERE NOT IN SPD INTERVENTION. THERE WERE NO FAULTS LISTED ON THE LOWER EICAS OR EITHER CDU. COULD AN EXTENDED PWR INTERRUPTION TO AVIONICS HAVE CAUSED THE SYS TO DEFAULT W/O EVER GIVING US ANY WARNINGS? WOULD THIS HAVE CAUSED AN INTERRUPTION IN OUR RADIO COMS?

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.