ZKC Air Traffic Controllers reported working an aircraft that was attempting to descend below icing conditions; the controllers were unable to communicate with the aircraft resulting in the aircraft flying towards terrain. ATC established communication with the aircraft and assigned them a safe altitude to climb to and the aircraft proceeded to there destination.
Synopsis
ZKC Air Traffic Controllers reported working an aircraft that was attempting to descend below icing conditions; the controllers were unable to communicate with the aircraft resulting in the aircraft flying towards terrain. ATC established communication with the aircraft and assigned them a safe altitude to climb to and the aircraft proceeded to there destination.
Narrative
G55 (Burlington) sector called me to APREQ Aircraft X at 025; they stated he was an IFR aircraft that was trying to get below icing conditions in their airspace; and they released control to me; I said approved as requested. I approved it because the MIA (Minimum IFR Altitude) in my airspace where he was entering was at 024; but he was landing at K89 which is a new airport in our airspace with the new sector configurations. The R-side and I realized that the MIA as he approached the airport was 029; so we were waiting for him to check on to see if he was out of the icing conditions and would be able to accept a climb to 029. Over the next 10 minutes or so; the aircraft failed to check on; so the R-side made multiple transmissions trying to reach them. All four frequencies we have in that area fail to cover that low altitude. Burlington called us back asking if we were able to hear them; and I told them not. The R-side asked me to have Burlington put them on 132.6 if he came back to them; so I passed that along. I also informed them that the MIA at his destination airport is 029; and asked them to climb him to 030 if he made it back to their frequency. Shortly after crossing into an area where the MIA was 026; we were able to reach him on the frequency finally. The R-side immediately called a low altitude MIA alert; and asked if the pilot would be able to climb to 029; the pilot stated he could; so he issued the climb.Recommendation:To prevent a re-occurrence of this event; I would recommend trying to get better frequency coverage in that area. The fact that we have four frequencies that should be able to cover that area and we couldn't reach the pilot on any of them is a serious safety issue. If I had known that we weren't going to be able to talk to him; I would not have approved him at 025; and would have requested that Burlington climb them to 030. This is one of several frequency issues we've been having since the new sector configurations came through over the past week or so.
Second reporter narrative
ZAU Sector callee the D-side to APREQ an aircraft IFR at two thousand five hundred(025) as the pilot was worried about icing conditions and trying to stay below the clouds. The D-side approved as the MIA (Minimum IFR Altitude) in the area he was in is 025. Roughly 10 minutes after they entered our sector it rose to 026 and then about 20 minutes later at his destination it rose to 029. We figured we would have enough time to inform the pilot of this and climb him with his concurrence if he was sure he would stay out of an icing situation.The problem was he couldn't hear us. And we couldn't hear him if he was checking on. I tried to have other pilots on frequency try to raise him. Tried to see if he went back to the previous sector to put him on a different frequency. He did not that I know of. He finally checked on right as the MSAW alert was going off. I asked if he could climb 100 feet due to the MIA being 026 where he was entering. Then explained to him the MIA was increasing to 029 in about 15 minutes. He then climbed to 029 and then shot an approach into his destination. Recommendation:Our frequency coverage that low in that part of the sector is terrible to say the least. We just 2 days prior assumed a portion of an adjacent sectors low altitude and assumed the frequency that might have given us a better chance of hearing him; but I am not sure on that.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.