PLT OF A CESSNA SUPER SKYMASTER; C337; LOST CONTACT WITH ARTCC AFTER RECEIVING APCH CLRNC TO AN UNCTLED ARPT (TEX); SURROUNDED BY VERY HIGH RISING TERRAIN IN ALL QUADRANTS. HE COULD HEAR THE PRECEDING ACFT CANCEL THEIR IFR CLRNC; BUT DID NOT HEAR ARTCC ACKNOWLEDGE AT 12000 FT MSL. THE NEAREST AIRWAY HAS AN MEA OF 16200 FT (V361).
Synopsis
PLT OF A CESSNA SUPER SKYMASTER; C337; LOST CONTACT WITH ARTCC AFTER RECEIVING APCH CLRNC TO AN UNCTLED ARPT (TEX); SURROUNDED BY VERY HIGH RISING TERRAIN IN ALL QUADRANTS. HE COULD HEAR THE PRECEDING ACFT CANCEL THEIR IFR CLRNC; BUT DID NOT HEAR ARTCC ACKNOWLEDGE AT 12000 FT MSL. THE NEAREST AIRWAY HAS AN MEA OF 16200 FT (V361).
Narrative
IFR FROM O15 (TURLOCK; CA) GENERALLY CLR WX TILL HANKSVILLE; CO; IN AND OUT OF CUMULUS CLOUDS TO CONES VOR. CLRED FOR APCH BY ZDV (A NAVAJO) WAS CLRED AHEAD OF ME AND I WAS CLRED AFTER HE SHOT THE APCH (I HEARD HIM CANCEL BUT NO ACKNOWLEDGMENT FROM ZDV WAS HEARD). I CONTINUED THE APCH FROM CONES VOR (LOC DME RWY 9). I HAD BEEN CLRED DOWN TO 12000 FT BEFORE REACHING CONES AND FOLLOWED THE APCH; BROKE OUT AT 11300 FT WITH 10+ MI VISIBILITY; WAS IN CONTACT WITH TELLURIDE UNICOM AND ANNOUNCED MY POS. UNICOM ASKED US TO CANCEL ASAP AS 3 ACFT WERE WAITING TO DEPART. TRIED ZDV BUT NO ACKNOWLEDGMENT. COMPLETED LNDG AND FBO TOLD ME ZDV WANTED A TELEPHONE CALL -- COLLECT TO I BELIEVE ARTCC SUPVR. TRIED BUT PHONE NUMBER WAS INOP. CALLED FSS; THEY COULD NOT PUT ME IN CONTACT WITH ZDV; BUT ACCEPTED THE CANCELLATION. PROB: DID ZDV GET PLANE AHEAD OF ME CANCELLATION. I HAD NO FURTHER COM WITH ZDV AFTER RECEIVING MY CLRNC. FBO PERSONNEL SAY ZDV CANNOT BE CONTACTED BELOW 14000 FT. HOW CAN I CONTACT ZDV ON THE GND OR WHEN VISUAL LNDG ASSURED. UNFORTUNATELY I WAS GIVEN A PHONE NUMBER NOT WORKING. I DID NOT START THE APCH FROM CONES VOR UNTIL THE NAVAJO AHEAD HAD ANNOUNCED HIS CANCELLATION. WE DID NOT HAVE A CONFLICT.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.