CRJ-900 flight crew reported they were not given a frequency change and were unable to reach ATC as they approached the airport. While attempting to establish communications the flight crew inadvertently descended below the minimum altitude for the area. Flight crew corrected altitude and established communication with ATC.
Synopsis
CRJ-900 flight crew reported they were not given a frequency change and were unable to reach ATC as they approached the airport. While attempting to establish communications the flight crew inadvertently descended below the minimum altitude for the area. Flight crew corrected altitude and established communication with ATC.
Narrative
ZZZ Center left us high at about 17;000 feet 30 miles from the airport. I queried Center requesting a descent and was immediately given a descent to 8;000 feet and shortly thereafter a descent at pilot's discussion down to 3;000 feet. We were on an assigned heading on a downwind leg setting up for the ILS Runway XX. Abeam the final approach fix we began to wonder when we would get a base turn. As we got closer to abeam the initial approach fix; I queried Center. Center did not respond. I reached out to them twice more on XXX.Y before changing frequencies to the published approach frequency of XYX.Y. I contacted approach three times without a response then recognized that we were below the MSA. We initiated a climb to 3;600 feet for the MSA and I called Atlanta Center on guard three times again without a response. After I entered the lost communication squawk code; we were almost immediately contacted by another aircraft relaying a message. ZZZ Center asked us to contact them on XXX.Y. We responded that we have been contacting them on this frequency and we are not hearing a response. Shortly after; we heard a very broken transmission telling us to contact ZZZ Center on XZZ.ZZ. After contacting Center on this new frequency; the Controller apologized for not giving us a frequency change and said that they normally lose communication around 3;000 feet on XXX.Y. We had not been given a frequency change prior and because the tower was not open we were not able to contact them.
Second reporter narrative
ATC left us at 17;000 MSL 30 miles from airport (north east). We had not heard from ATC so we requested lower. We got 8;000. After that we were still high so requested another descent so ATC gave us 3;000 on a heading (downwind) for Runway XX in ZZZ. We leveled at 3;000 MSL abeam the airport on the downwind and continued flying that heading with an anticipation for a 90 deg turn right for vectors for the ILS XX; 2-5 miles past the IAF we queried ATC and received no response; we tried multiple times on the freq and on Guard Frequency but never got a response. We decided to climb to 3;600 MSL (the MSA) and proceed to the IAF for the procedure turn and ILS XX and squawk lost communications. Within a minute of this; ZZZ called us on Guard Frequency and we reestablished communications and landed without further issue.Cause - Dropped below ATC radio coverage according to ATC.Suggestion - Monitor MSA; and lost communications procedures late at night.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.