10-4-4

Communications Failure

JO 7110.65BB, Change 3, effective July 9, 2026 · Official text on faa.gov

Take the following actions, as appropriate, if two‐way radio communications are lost with an aircraft:

In the event of lost communications with an aircraft under your control jurisdiction use all appropriate means available to reestablish communications with the aircraft. These may include, but are not limited to, emergency frequencies, NAVAIDs that are equipped with voice capability, FSS, New York Radio, San Francisco Radio, etc.
Note
1. New York Radio and San Francisco Radio are operated by Collins Aerospace (formerly ARINC, Incorporated) under contract with the FAA for communications services. These Radio facilities have the capability of relaying information to/from ATC facilities throughout the country.
2. Aircraft communications addressing and reporting system (ACARS) or selective calling (SELCAL) may be utilized to reestablish radio communications with suitably equipped aircraft. ACARS can be utilized by contacting San Francisco Radio at (800)-621-0140 or New York Radio at (800) 645-1095. Provide the aircraft call sign, approximate location, and contact instructions. In order to utilize the SELCAL system, the SELCAL code for the subject aircraft must be known. If the SELCAL code is not contained in the remarks section of the flight plan, contact the pertinent air carrier dispatch office to determine the code. Then contact San Francisco Radio (for aircraft over the Pacific, U.S. or Mexico) or New York Radio (for aircraft over the Atlantic, Gulf of America, or Caribbean) and provide the aircraft call sign, SELCAL code, approximate location, and contact instructions.
Broadcast clearances through any available means of communications including the voice feature of NAVAIDs.
Note
1. Some UHF equipped aircraft have VHF navigation equipment and can receive 121.5 MHz.
2. “Any available means” includes the use of FSS and New York Radio or San Francisco Radio.
Reference

FAA Order JO 7110.65, Para 4-2-2, Clearance Prefix.
Attempt to re‐establish communication by having the aircraft use its transponder or make turns to acknowledge clearances and answer questions. Request any of the following in using the transponder:
1. Request the aircraft to reply Mode 3/A “IDENT.”
2. Request the aircraft to reply on Code 7600.
3. Request the aircraft to change to “stand‐by” for sufficient time for you to be sure that the lack of a target is the result of the requested action.
  Phraseology
  
  REPLY NOT RECEIVED, (appropriate instructions).
  (Action) OBSERVED, (additional instructions/information if necessary).
Broadcast a clearance for the aircraft to proceed to its filed alternate airport at the MEA if the aircraft operator concurs.
Reference

FAA Order JO 7110.65, Para 5-2-4, Radio Failure.
FAA Order JO 7110.65, Para 9-2-6, IFR Military Training Routes.
If radio communications have not been (re) established with the aircraft after 5 minutes, consider the aircraft's or pilot's activity to be suspicious and report it to the OS/CIC per FAA Order JO 7610.4, Chapter 7, Procedures for Handling Suspicious Flight Situations and Hijacked Aircraft, and paragraph 2-1-26 f, Supervisory Notification, of this order.