N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cortez, Colorado
Thursday, November 5, 2009 21:34 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the ACA795 flight crew to monitor and/or switch to the appropriate air traffic control frequency.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 11/5/2009
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2134
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Cortez
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport N/A
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury --
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26451
NTSB Notification Source Canadian TSB
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 13 2010 9:06AM
User who most recently changed record broda
Basic weather conditions --
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number --
NTSB Number OPS10IA002
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part --
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AIRBUS
Aircraft Model A320
Aircraft Series Identifier 211
Aircraft Serial Number --
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Powered-Lift
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name --
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country CA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? Yes
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code YYZ
Departure City Toronto
Departure State --
Departure Country CA
Departure Time 2010
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code lax
Destination City Los Angeles
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 11 2010 2:14PM
User who most recently changed record bard
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --