Aircraft unable to contact tower on landing made a missed approach.

Attributes
ACN	138576
Time
Date	199002
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gfk
State Reference	ND
Altitude	agl bound lower : 300 agl bound upper : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : gfk tower : gfk artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	138576
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On visual approach to runway 17R at gfk, ATC forgot to change us to tower. After numerous requests to change, at 300' AGL, we commenced a go around. At that point approach told us to go to tower. We called the tower 'missed approach' and proceeded on the published back course 17R missed approach procedure because the tower never replied to our missed call with instructions for visual missed procedure (they were busy with numerous light aircraft in the traffic pattern). After about 1 min the tower controller gave us a vector fly heading 260 degree. Immediately afterward a supervisor came on frantically telling us to come left 090 degree. He continued working us until an uneventful landing was made. (I wonder if we had a near miss with a light plane?)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT UNABLE TO CONTACT TWR ON LNDG MADE A MISSED APCH.

Narrative: ON VISUAL APCH TO RWY 17R AT GFK, ATC FORGOT TO CHANGE US TO TWR. AFTER NUMEROUS REQUESTS TO CHANGE, AT 300' AGL, WE COMMENCED A GO AROUND. AT THAT POINT APCH TOLD US TO GO TO TWR. WE CALLED THE TWR 'MISSED APCH' AND PROCEEDED ON THE PUBLISHED BACK COURSE 17R MISSED APCH PROC BECAUSE THE TWR NEVER REPLIED TO OUR MISSED CALL WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR VISUAL MISSED PROC (THEY WERE BUSY WITH NUMEROUS LIGHT ACFT IN THE TFC PATTERN). AFTER ABOUT 1 MIN THE TWR CTLR GAVE US A VECTOR FLY HDG 260 DEG. IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARD A SUPVR CAME ON FRANTICALLY TELLING US TO COME LEFT 090 DEG. HE CONTINUED WORKING US UNTIL AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE. (I WONDER IF WE HAD A NEAR MISS WITH A LIGHT PLANE?)

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.