Narrative:

During turn on to ILS runway 22R ord, I was asked to reduce from 250 KTS to 210 KTS, maintain 210 KTS and go to approach control on 119.0. We checked in and were cleared for the ILS runway 22R, maintain 210 KTS, expect 126.9 at marker but monitor 119.0 for another speed reduction. The aircraft ahead was on TCASII at 4 mi range. We kept encountering rather severe wake turbulence at times so I tried to ride 1 DOT high on the GS. I noted the TCASII target ahead closing to 3.5 then 3 mi and then realized we were listening to ord tower. I asked the first officer if we had been advised to switch to tower, then realized 119.0 had been replaced by 126.9 on #1 communication head. I tuned 119.0 on #2 head, flipped the select switch to #2 and heard approach control calling. (I had begun slowing to 170 KTS on my own decision to maintain the 3 mi on the target ahead.) approach control had been calling for several mi for us to slow to 170 KTS as the B757 ahead had slowed. We were directed to s-turn to right for spacing, then go to tower frequency. Tower cleared us to land runway 22R. The lesson learned, again, was to double-check the frequency entered by 'the other guy' even in seemingly good WX. During our debrief, he thought he heard to monitor tower for the speed reduction. The evening 'bank' at ord causes non-stop radio activity and I'm not surprised of the misunderstanding/hearing. Many times there is no opportunity to read back during 'bank' times. A real safety concern!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC SWITCHED TO TWR FREQ PREMATURELY.

Narrative: DURING TURN ON TO ILS RWY 22R ORD, I WAS ASKED TO REDUCE FROM 250 KTS TO 210 KTS, MAINTAIN 210 KTS AND GO TO APCH CTL ON 119.0. WE CHKED IN AND WERE CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 22R, MAINTAIN 210 KTS, EXPECT 126.9 AT MARKER BUT MONITOR 119.0 FOR ANOTHER SPD REDUCTION. THE ACFT AHEAD WAS ON TCASII AT 4 MI RANGE. WE KEPT ENCOUNTERING RATHER SEVERE WAKE TURB AT TIMES SO I TRIED TO RIDE 1 DOT HIGH ON THE GS. I NOTED THE TCASII TARGET AHEAD CLOSING TO 3.5 THEN 3 MI AND THEN REALIZED WE WERE LISTENING TO ORD TWR. I ASKED THE FO IF WE HAD BEEN ADVISED TO SWITCH TO TWR, THEN REALIZED 119.0 HAD BEEN REPLACED BY 126.9 ON #1 COM HEAD. I TUNED 119.0 ON #2 HEAD, FLIPPED THE SELECT SWITCH TO #2 AND HEARD APCH CTL CALLING. (I HAD BEGUN SLOWING TO 170 KTS ON MY OWN DECISION TO MAINTAIN THE 3 MI ON THE TARGET AHEAD.) APCH CTL HAD BEEN CALLING FOR SEVERAL MI FOR US TO SLOW TO 170 KTS AS THE B757 AHEAD HAD SLOWED. WE WERE DIRECTED TO S-TURN TO R FOR SPACING, THEN GO TO TWR FREQ. TWR CLRED US TO LAND RWY 22R. THE LESSON LEARNED, AGAIN, WAS TO DOUBLE-CHK THE FREQ ENTERED BY 'THE OTHER GUY' EVEN IN SEEMINGLY GOOD WX. DURING OUR DEBRIEF, HE THOUGHT HE HEARD TO MONITOR TWR FOR THE SPD REDUCTION. THE EVENING 'BANK' AT ORD CAUSES NON-STOP RADIO ACTIVITY AND I'M NOT SURPRISED OF THE MISUNDERSTANDING/HEARING. MANY TIMES THERE IS NO OPPORTUNITY TO READ BACK DURING 'BANK' TIMES. A REAL SAFETY CONCERN!

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.