Narrative:

The PF was a recently licensed private pilot. The aircraft was cleared to 2500' MSL approach visibility to runway 7R right traffic. Radio contact with approach was lost for approximately 3 min. The controller then asked the aircraft if the pilot could make a straight in for runway 25R. The pilot acknowledged and was cleared for runway 25R. The pilot, then non flying, requested a 360 right turn to lose altitude. ATC cleared the maneuver and advised the pilot to contact the tower. During the rollout to the runway heading radio contact could not be established with tower. Five attempts were made. At approximately 1/2 mi on final the tower acknowledged and advised that the aircraft was on final for runway 24R and cleared the aircraft to land on runway 24R. There was aircraft in a left base turn to runway 7L (to the best of my recollection) who was also having difficulty contacting the tower. Several contributing factors were fatigue, the pilot's lack of familiarity with the runway complex, the magnetic alignment of the 24-25 runways are within 10 degree. Radio communications difficulty.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA VFR CLEARED RWY 25R ALIGNED WITH RWY 24R AND WAS CLEARED TO LAND AFTER DIFFICULTY IN RADIO COM.

Narrative: THE PF WAS A RECENTLY LICENSED PVT PLT. THE ACFT WAS CLRED TO 2500' MSL APCH VIS TO RWY 7R RIGHT TFC. RADIO CONTACT WITH APCH WAS LOST FOR APPROX 3 MIN. THE CTLR THEN ASKED THE ACFT IF THE PLT COULD MAKE A STRAIGHT IN FOR RWY 25R. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED AND WAS CLRED FOR RWY 25R. THE PLT, THEN NON FLYING, REQUESTED A 360 R TURN TO LOSE ALT. ATC CLRED THE MANEUVER AND ADVISED THE PLT TO CONTACT THE TWR. DURING THE ROLLOUT TO THE RWY HDG RADIO CONTACT COULD NOT BE ESTABLISHED WITH TWR. FIVE ATTEMPTS WERE MADE. AT APPROX 1/2 MI ON FINAL THE TWR ACKNOWLEDGED AND ADVISED THAT THE ACFT WAS ON FINAL FOR RWY 24R AND CLRED THE ACFT TO LAND ON RWY 24R. THERE WAS ACFT IN A L BASE TURN TO RWY 7L (TO THE BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION) WHO WAS ALSO HAVING DIFFICULTY CONTACTING THE TWR. SEVERAL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE FATIGUE, THE PLT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE RWY COMPLEX, THE MAGNETIC ALIGNMENT OF THE 24-25 RWYS ARE WITHIN 10 DEG. RADIO COMS DIFFICULTY.

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.