1997-02 · NASA ASRS report 361850
FLC OF A DC10 DURING AN OCEANIC FLT FAILED TO CONTACT THE ATC CTR AT LEAST 10 MINS AHEAD PRIOR TO ENTERING THEIR AIRSPACE AS PLAINLY NOTED ON THE RTE CHART USED FOR THE RTE OF FLT.
SCHEDULED DTW-SJU AND RETURN SJU-DTW. THIS CREW UNFAMILIAR WITH CARIBBEAN OPS BUT RATHER WITH NORTH ATLANTIC AND MID-PACIFIC. RTE TO SJU REMAINED ENTIRELY IN RADAR CONTACT AND RADIO CONTACT MIA AND SJU OCEANIC CTA; AND DIRECTED AS TO WHEN TO CHANGE VHF FREQS. RETURN FLT FILED (AND FLOWN) BQN A636 KOBET UA636 PTA A554 GTK. FLT WAS OPERATED USING INS (VORS AND ADFS VERY UNRELIABLE). SJU CTR ADVISED 'CONTACT SANTO DOMINGO ON 124.3. DID SO AND GOT FL CHANGE FROM FL310 TO FL350. WERE INFORMED 'RADAR CONTACT.' JUST PAST SEKAR; NO RADIOED INSTRUCTIONS TO CONTACT ZMA; SO WE INITIATED. WERE TOLD; 'ROGER; CONTACT MIA ON 132.3.' DID SO. ZMA SAID UPON INITIAL CONTACT; 'YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO CONTACT US 10 MINS AGO. THERE'S A NOTAM ON THIS.' NO NOTAM. BUT; CHK MAP LA (H/L) 7 NOTE F. RIGHT AT FIR BOUNDARY AND CERTAINLY NOT 10 MINS AHEAD. ALSO; IN RADAR AND VHF RADIO CONTACT ENTIRE WAY. THIS IS A REAL 'GOTCHA.' VERY BUSY TIME; UNFAMILIARITY; WAYPOINT UPDATES; IN RADIO CONTACT ALL THE WAY; DID CAUSE THIS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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