Narrative:

I was in communication with chs approach on 126.7 and was being vectored off the arwy (V437) from savannah, GA, on a 040 degree heading. I was set up with the ILS frequency in my navigation 1, with DME hold on. Chs VOR was set in navigation 2. Approximately 12 mi southwest of chs I was putting the tower frequency and ground frequency in my communication radio. I inadvertently put these frequencys in communication 1 instead of communication 2. In doing so, I disconnected communication with approach control. After several mins of silence, I discovered the problem, looked at my radio log to get the approach frequency and re-enter on communication 1. I re-established radio contact and found that they were, as expected, wondering what had happened to me. I told them I had put in the wrong frequency. I was then switched to another controller on 119.3 to complete vectoring and clearance for the ILS approach to 15. The controller on 119.3 said he had been trying to contact me for about 20 mi. The approach and landing went well. This was a very bad time to make a mistake like this, since it was indeed low IFR at chs and the ILS would have to be set up well. One does not need this type thing to make for confusion. I believe what led to the mistake was mild anxiety over knowing I had to land with a ceiling that was close to minimums, and in addition, low visibility due to fog. What I learned here was that on every frequency change,I must complete a radio frequency checklist to ensure that all radios are tuned to the proper frequency and pay particular attention to ensuring that approach control is never disconnected.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA MADE EARLY FREQ CHANGE AND LOST RADIO COM WITH CHS TRACON. ACFT WAS BEING VECTORED FOR IAP ILS APCH.

Narrative: I WAS IN COM WITH CHS APCH ON 126.7 AND WAS BEING VECTORED OFF THE ARWY (V437) FROM SAVANNAH, GA, ON A 040 DEG HDG. I WAS SET UP WITH THE ILS FREQ IN MY NAV 1, WITH DME HOLD ON. CHS VOR WAS SET IN NAV 2. APPROX 12 MI SW OF CHS I WAS PUTTING THE TWR FREQ AND GND FREQ IN MY COM RADIO. I INADVERTENTLY PUT THESE FREQS IN COM 1 INSTEAD OF COM 2. IN DOING SO, I DISCONNECTED COM WITH APCH CTL. AFTER SEVERAL MINS OF SILENCE, I DISCOVERED THE PROB, LOOKED AT MY RADIO LOG TO GET THE APCH FREQ AND RE-ENTER ON COM 1. I RE-ESTABLISHED RADIO CONTACT AND FOUND THAT THEY WERE, AS EXPECTED, WONDERING WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME. I TOLD THEM I HAD PUT IN THE WRONG FREQ. I WAS THEN SWITCHED TO ANOTHER CTLR ON 119.3 TO COMPLETE VECTORING AND CLRNC FOR THE ILS APCH TO 15. THE CTLR ON 119.3 SAID HE HAD BEEN TRYING TO CONTACT ME FOR ABOUT 20 MI. THE APCH AND LNDG WENT WELL. THIS WAS A VERY BAD TIME TO MAKE A MISTAKE LIKE THIS, SINCE IT WAS INDEED LOW IFR AT CHS AND THE ILS WOULD HAVE TO BE SET UP WELL. ONE DOES NOT NEED THIS TYPE THING TO MAKE FOR CONFUSION. I BELIEVE WHAT LED TO THE MISTAKE WAS MILD ANXIETY OVER KNOWING I HAD TO LAND WITH A CEILING THAT WAS CLOSE TO MINIMUMS, AND IN ADDITION, LOW VISIBILITY DUE TO FOG. WHAT I LEARNED HERE WAS THAT ON EVERY FREQ CHANGE,I MUST COMPLETE A RADIO FREQ CHKLIST TO ENSURE THAT ALL RADIOS ARE TUNED TO THE PROPER FREQ AND PAY PARTICULAR ATTN TO ENSURING THAT APCH CTL IS NEVER DISCONNECTED.

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.