New commercial pilot has transmitter switch on audio panel set to communication 2 while believing he...

Attributes
ACN	160943
Time
Date	199010
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : blm
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : oak
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi landing other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 800 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	160943
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Communication radio #1 was tuned to unicom, communication #2 tuned to company frequency for communication with another company aircraft also en route blm. Airport advisories were obtained on unicom about 5 mi west of blm. I entered a standard left traffic pattern for runway 32 at blm (uncontrolled) and announced my intentions on each leg, including back-taxiing on the active after landing. However, on short final, an unidented individual queried me as to whether my radio was working. This individual went on to say that I was not announcing my intentions. I replied that I had been communicating properly. The other company pilot, still airborne, advised he could hear me loud and clear. After I back-taxied off runway 32, the unidented individual again complained that I had not announced my intentions as required. I replied that I had indeed announced all my actions. The other company pilot again confirmed that I had announced all intentions and he also added that the unidented complainant's receiver was probably not working. A while later, it was discovered that the radio panel was set to communication #2, our company frequency. This would have meant that I was announcing my intentions on the company frequency while monitoring unicom. The other company pilot had been monitoring both frequencys and could not tell on which frequency he heard me. However, it is possible that I had set the audio panel to communication #2 after landing in order to talk to the other company pilot--I can't recall.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NEW COMMERCIAL PLT HAS TRANSMITTER SWITCH ON AUDIO PANEL SET TO COM 2 WHILE BELIEVING HE WAS TRANSMITTING TO UNICOM ON COM 1 AT BLM.

Narrative: COM RADIO #1 WAS TUNED TO UNICOM, COM #2 TUNED TO COMPANY FREQ FOR COM WITH ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT ALSO ENRTE BLM. ARPT ADVISORIES WERE OBTAINED ON UNICOM ABOUT 5 MI W OF BLM. I ENTERED A STANDARD LEFT TFC PATTERN FOR RWY 32 AT BLM (UNCONTROLLED) AND ANNOUNCED MY INTENTIONS ON EACH LEG, INCLUDING BACK-TAXIING ON THE ACTIVE AFTER LNDG. HOWEVER, ON SHORT FINAL, AN UNIDENTED INDIVIDUAL QUERIED ME AS TO WHETHER MY RADIO WAS WORKING. THIS INDIVIDUAL WENT ON TO SAY THAT I WAS NOT ANNOUNCING MY INTENTIONS. I REPLIED THAT I HAD BEEN COMMUNICATING PROPERLY. THE OTHER COMPANY PLT, STILL AIRBORNE, ADVISED HE COULD HEAR ME LOUD AND CLR. AFTER I BACK-TAXIED OFF RWY 32, THE UNIDENTED INDIVIDUAL AGAIN COMPLAINED THAT I HAD NOT ANNOUNCED MY INTENTIONS AS REQUIRED. I REPLIED THAT I HAD INDEED ANNOUNCED ALL MY ACTIONS. THE OTHER COMPANY PLT AGAIN CONFIRMED THAT I HAD ANNOUNCED ALL INTENTIONS AND HE ALSO ADDED THAT THE UNIDENTED COMPLAINANT'S RECEIVER WAS PROBABLY NOT WORKING. A WHILE LATER, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE RADIO PANEL WAS SET TO COM #2, OUR COMPANY FREQ. THIS WOULD HAVE MEANT THAT I WAS ANNOUNCING MY INTENTIONS ON THE COMPANY FREQ WHILE MONITORING UNICOM. THE OTHER COMPANY PLT HAD BEEN MONITORING BOTH FREQS AND COULD NOT TELL ON WHICH FREQ HE HEARD ME. HOWEVER, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT I HAD SET THE AUDIO PANEL TO COM #2 AFTER LNDG IN ORDER TO TALK TO THE OTHER COMPANY PLT--I CAN'T RECALL.

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.

New commercial pilot has transmitter switch on audio panel set to communication 2 while believing he was transmitting to unicom on communication 1 at blm.