Inexperienced pilot of light aircraft has finger trouble with audio panel for communications.

Attributes
ACN	127438
Time
Date	198911
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aus
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : aus tower : aus
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 260 flight time type : 260
ASRS Report	127438
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Due to unfamiliar transmitter selector on audio panel, I inadvertently notified tower of my approach when listening to approach control. Because I heard no response, I noticed my error, clipped the transmitter switch, called approach. I was acknowledged by approach. However, I apparently was accepted by tower also! A few mins later, I made a call to the FBO unicom to notify them of my pending arrival. While transmitting, it seems that approach handed me over to tower. Of course, I didn't acknowledge because I didn't hear it. I'm flying the approach, listening to approach control when both controllers are thinking I'm listening to tower, even though I didn't acknowledge that I was. On short final (1 mi) I called approach who passed me over to the tower. My lesson: I'll call unicom after being handed over to tower but before calling the tower (brief unicom calls to FBO). This will remove chance of the misunderstanding. Controllers: neither awaited my readback that I understood their instructions. Apparently: neither controller had any idea this even occurred.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INEXPERIENCED PLT OF LIGHT ACFT HAS FINGER TROUBLE WITH AUDIO PANEL FOR COMS.

Narrative: DUE TO UNFAMILIAR TRANSMITTER SELECTOR ON AUDIO PANEL, I INADVERTENTLY NOTIFIED TWR OF MY APCH WHEN LISTENING TO APCH CTL. BECAUSE I HEARD NO RESPONSE, I NOTICED MY ERROR, CLIPPED THE TRANSMITTER SWITCH, CALLED APCH. I WAS ACKNOWLEDGED BY APCH. HOWEVER, I APPARENTLY WAS ACCEPTED BY TWR ALSO! A FEW MINS LATER, I MADE A CALL TO THE FBO UNICOM TO NOTIFY THEM OF MY PENDING ARR. WHILE TRANSMITTING, IT SEEMS THAT APCH HANDED ME OVER TO TWR. OF COURSE, I DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE BECAUSE I DIDN'T HEAR IT. I'M FLYING THE APCH, LISTENING TO APCH CTL WHEN BOTH CTLRS ARE THINKING I'M LISTENING TO TWR, EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I WAS. ON SHORT FINAL (1 MI) I CALLED APCH WHO PASSED ME OVER TO THE TWR. MY LESSON: I'LL CALL UNICOM AFTER BEING HANDED OVER TO TWR BUT BEFORE CALLING THE TWR (BRIEF UNICOM CALLS TO FBO). THIS WILL REMOVE CHANCE OF THE MISUNDERSTANDING. CTLRS: NEITHER AWAITED MY READBACK THAT I UNDERSTOOD THEIR INSTRUCTIONS. APPARENTLY: NEITHER CTLR HAD ANY IDEA THIS EVEN OCCURRED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.