Government flight in small transport not handed off to tower on ILS approach.

Attributes
ACN	273829
Time
Date	199406
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mqy
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bna tower : mqy
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	273829
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

While conducting a maintenance check flight to certify a GPS for en route use, an ILS approach was conducted in IMC conditions to runway 32 at smyrna, tn (mqy). I was vectored by nashville approach control (bna) to the final approach course and cleared for the approach. The smyrna airport has a part-time tower. Circumstances in the cockpit at the OM required an extra workload on the crew. Nashville approach control was confronted with an arrival push at nashville. No instruction to change radio frequency to smyrna tower was issued. I did not ask nashville approach control for clearance to go to smyrna tower. Consequently, the ILS approach to a missed approach (intentional) was conducted on approach control frequency. The flight terminated at nashville international airport as filed. It is possible that nashville approach intended that the approach at smyrna be conducted on their frequency. Although this would be unusual. In retrospect I should have questioned the omitted instruction to go to tower frequency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GOV FLT IN SMT NOT HANDED OFF TO TWR ON ILS APCH.

Narrative: WHILE CONDUCTING A MAINT CHK FLT TO CERTIFY A GPS FOR ENRTE USE, AN ILS APCH WAS CONDUCTED IN IMC CONDITIONS TO RWY 32 AT SMYRNA, TN (MQY). I WAS VECTORED BY NASHVILLE APCH CTL (BNA) TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE AND CLRED FOR THE APCH. THE SMYRNA ARPT HAS A PART-TIME TWR. CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE COCKPIT AT THE OM REQUIRED AN EXTRA WORKLOAD ON THE CREW. NASHVILLE APCH CTL WAS CONFRONTED WITH AN ARR PUSH AT NASHVILLE. NO INSTRUCTION TO CHANGE RADIO FREQ TO SMYRNA TWR WAS ISSUED. I DID NOT ASK NASHVILLE APCH CTL FOR CLRNC TO GO TO SMYRNA TWR. CONSEQUENTLY, THE ILS APCH TO A MISSED APCH (INTENTIONAL) WAS CONDUCTED ON APCH CTL FREQ. THE FLT TERMINATED AT NASHVILLE INTL ARPT AS FILED. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT NASHVILLE APCH INTENDED THAT THE APCH AT SMYRNA BE CONDUCTED ON THEIR FREQ. ALTHOUGH THIS WOULD BE UNUSUAL. IN RETROSPECT I SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED THE OMITTED INSTRUCTION TO GO TO TWR FREQ.

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.