AIRBUS A320 near Cortez, CO — 2009-11-06
- Date
- 2009-11-06
- Location
- Cortez, CO, USA
- Aircraft
- AIRBUS A320
- Registration
- C-FKOJ
- Category
- PLFT
- Highest injury
- None
- Fatalities
- 0
- Phase of flight
- Cruise
Probable cause
The failure of the ACA795 flight crew to monitor and/or switch to the appropriate air traffic control frequency.
NTSB narrative
Air Canada flight 795 departed Lester B. Pearson International Airport, Toronto, Canada, at approximately 2010 eastern standard time on a non-stop flight to Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California. At 2115 Mountain Standard Time, the flight crew checked in with Denver Center while at FL360. Aircraft radios were configured COMM1 on ATC frequency (ZDV) and COMM2 on 121.5 MHZ. At 2134 ZDV radar sector 37 directed the crew to contact ZDV on frequency 132.87; however, they did not respond. The flight was without radio contact (NORDO) for 37 minutes in ZDV and Los Angeles Center airspace. Communications were reestablished with the ZDV R24 controller via air to air relay with N613WF, at FL490. ACA flight 795 was then directed to contact Los Angeles ARTCC on frequency 127.35. According to the Federal Aviation Administration's preliminary pilot deviation report, after landing the pilot of the incident flight called the ZDV Operations Manager-in-Charge and explained that they were receiving static on emergency frequency 121.5 and had turned the volume down. The pilot also stated that they had received Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) messages after they had contacted ZLA.
Analysis
- Primary failure mode
- Human factors
- First missed decision gate
- Pilot failed to maintain communication on VHF guard frequency 121.5.
NTSB coding
- Air traffic event · Enroute
Evidence available
- 4 docket documents