PA28-140 pilot has radio trouble and enters traffic pattern, lands without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	322900
Time
Date	199512
Day	Mon
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tvc
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 300
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tvc
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 50 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	322900
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Unable to reach ATC on either radio, both tried. However, able to hear with both radios and able to transmit from communication 1 radio. Apparently the radio frequencys were the wrong ones. I was unable to tell whether the tower was active. No lights were seen, i.e., red or green. I did communicate with the tower prior to departing the airport however after changing frequencys. The tower made no mention of my landing without clearance so perhaps the trouble was in either the tower or the published frequencys. ATIS did not give any frequencys and also listed runways 36 and 28 as active when in actuality runway 18 was being used. Winds as per ATIS were from 350 degrees at 9 KTS. 124.2 tower, 121.8 ground, couldn't raise either. I failed to circle in the pattern, although while looking at the tower I saw no lights for instruction. In retrospect I should have entered the pattern and kept watching the tower for some activity. I also should have communicated with lansing FSS to determine what the problem could have been. I think it may have been a radio malfunction, however, I heard no communication whatsoever from the tower on the frequency listed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that he was using the michigan state AFD and chart. The state publishes these annually for their pilots. The frequencys were correct. He did receive the ATIS so had no thought of his radios not working. There was no traffic and no problem developed. The surprising part to reporter was that the tower never said a word about his landing without clearance when he was finally able to communication with them. He now thinks he may have received a green light but not seen it. A short time after the event he did notice some trouble with his radios, some breaking up. They are old radios. Reporter has discussed event with his instructor and knows what he did wrong, and what he could have done to avoid the problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28-140 PLT HAS RADIO TROUBLE AND ENTERS TFC PATTERN, LANDS WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: UNABLE TO REACH ATC ON EITHER RADIO, BOTH TRIED. HOWEVER, ABLE TO HEAR WITH BOTH RADIOS AND ABLE TO TRANSMIT FROM COM 1 RADIO. APPARENTLY THE RADIO FREQS WERE THE WRONG ONES. I WAS UNABLE TO TELL WHETHER THE TWR WAS ACTIVE. NO LIGHTS WERE SEEN, I.E., RED OR GREEN. I DID COMMUNICATE WITH THE TWR PRIOR TO DEPARTING THE ARPT HOWEVER AFTER CHANGING FREQS. THE TWR MADE NO MENTION OF MY LNDG WITHOUT CLRNC SO PERHAPS THE TROUBLE WAS IN EITHER THE TWR OR THE PUBLISHED FREQS. ATIS DID NOT GIVE ANY FREQS AND ALSO LISTED RWYS 36 AND 28 AS ACTIVE WHEN IN ACTUALITY RWY 18 WAS BEING USED. WINDS AS PER ATIS WERE FROM 350 DEGS AT 9 KTS. 124.2 TWR, 121.8 GND, COULDN'T RAISE EITHER. I FAILED TO CIRCLE IN THE PATTERN, ALTHOUGH WHILE LOOKING AT THE TWR I SAW NO LIGHTS FOR INSTRUCTION. IN RETROSPECT I SHOULD HAVE ENTERED THE PATTERN AND KEPT WATCHING THE TWR FOR SOME ACTIVITY. I ALSO SHOULD HAVE COMMUNICATED WITH LANSING FSS TO DETERMINE WHAT THE PROB COULD HAVE BEEN. I THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN A RADIO MALFUNCTION, HOWEVER, I HEARD NO COM WHATSOEVER FROM THE TWR ON THE FREQ LISTED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT HE WAS USING THE MICHIGAN STATE AFD AND CHART. THE STATE PUBLISHES THESE ANNUALLY FOR THEIR PLTS. THE FREQS WERE CORRECT. HE DID RECEIVE THE ATIS SO HAD NO THOUGHT OF HIS RADIOS NOT WORKING. THERE WAS NO TFC AND NO PROB DEVELOPED. THE SURPRISING PART TO RPTR WAS THAT THE TWR NEVER SAID A WORD ABOUT HIS LNDG WITHOUT CLRNC WHEN HE WAS FINALLY ABLE TO COM WITH THEM. HE NOW THINKS HE MAY HAVE RECEIVED A GREEN LIGHT BUT NOT SEEN IT. A SHORT TIME AFTER THE EVENT HE DID NOTICE SOME TROUBLE WITH HIS RADIOS, SOME BREAKING UP. THEY ARE OLD RADIOS. RPTR HAS DISCUSSED EVENT WITH HIS INSTRUCTOR AND KNOWS WHAT HE DID WRONG, AND WHAT HE COULD HAVE DONE TO AVOID THE PROB.

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.