Pilot entered the air traffic area before establishing radio contact with the control tower.

Attributes
ACN	144459
Time
Date	199004
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sle
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sle tower : yip
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Experience	controller military : 8 controller non radar : 5 controller radar : 2
ASRS Report	144459
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe 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:

An small aircraft, reported initially 5 mi north of sle inbound for landing. The small aircraft made several other reports 4 north, 2 north over the airport. There were several attempts to establish radio communications by the tower. The small aircraft was first of served 1 mi north of the airport at 1000'. The small aircraft turned east over the airport. He made a 360 degree turn 2 east of the airport and then proceeded northbound. Radio communication was finally established when small aircraft was 2NE of the airport northbound. He indicated he hit the wrong switch. He was issued landing instructions and he landed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ENTERED THE ATA BEFORE ESTABLISHING RADIO CONTACT WITH THE CTL TWR.

Narrative: AN SMA, RPTED INITIALLY 5 MI N OF SLE INBND FOR LNDG. THE SMA MADE SEVERAL OTHER RPTS 4 N, 2 N OVER THE ARPT. THERE WERE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO ESTABLISH RADIO COMS BY THE TWR. THE SMA WAS FIRST OF SERVED 1 MI N OF THE ARPT AT 1000'. THE SMA TURNED E OVER THE ARPT. HE MADE A 360 DEG TURN 2 E OF THE ARPT AND THEN PROCEEDED NBND. RADIO COM WAS FINALLY ESTABLISHED WHEN SMA WAS 2NE OF THE ARPT NBND. HE INDICATED HE HIT THE WRONG SWITCH. HE WAS ISSUED LNDG INSTRUCTIONS AND HE LANDED.

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.