Narrative:

Socal handed me off to bracket on 118.2. I called at 7 NM out reporting '7 mi to north northwest for a landing with taxiway H.' the tower responded with clear to land runway 26R. I read back landing instructions. At about 5 mi out I noticed another aircraft report over the dam. He was also cleared for runway 26R. I crossed the a department store (sometimes used as a landmark by the tower) and then entered the right downwind pattern for runway 26R. At this time I requested a change to runway 26L and the tower informed me I had not communicated with them until this time. The operator was quite hostile about the fact that I had entered the pattern without approval. I was abeam the tower by now and related the approval at 7 NM out. He told me I must have responded to another aircraft's instructions. I again asked if I was cleared to land on runway 26L and was given the clearance. No further mention was made of the problem. At no time was there an indication that the communication radio did not operate correctly. All avionics in the aircraft were functioning normally. Brackett is my home base and I am very familiar with the various procedures for approach and departure at the airport. At no time did I feel that I had taken someone else's clearance. I routinely read back all ATC instructions to assure that I am complying correctly with the request. The tower controller seemed unusually terse and with an 'attitude.' brackett was not unusually busy. If, in fact my xmissions were 'covered' by another closer aircraft then it happened twice in such perfect unison that the tower controller had no indication it was happening.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 IS ACCUSED OF ENTERING CLASS D WITHOUT CLRNC. RPTR STATES HE DID RPT IN 7 MI NW AND WAS CLRED TO LAND RWY 26R.

Narrative: SOCAL HANDED ME OFF TO BRACKET ON 118.2. I CALLED AT 7 NM OUT RPTING '7 MI TO N NW FOR A LNDG WITH TXWY H.' THE TWR RESPONDED WITH CLR TO LAND RWY 26R. I READ BACK LNDG INSTRUCTIONS. AT ABOUT 5 MI OUT I NOTICED ANOTHER ACFT RPT OVER THE DAM. HE WAS ALSO CLRED FOR RWY 26R. I CROSSED THE A DEPT STORE (SOMETIMES USED AS A LANDMARK BY THE TWR) AND THEN ENTERED THE R DOWNWIND PATTERN FOR RWY 26R. AT THIS TIME I REQUESTED A CHANGE TO RWY 26L AND THE TWR INFORMED ME I HAD NOT COMMUNICATED WITH THEM UNTIL THIS TIME. THE OPERATOR WAS QUITE HOSTILE ABOUT THE FACT THAT I HAD ENTERED THE PATTERN WITHOUT APPROVAL. I WAS ABEAM THE TWR BY NOW AND RELATED THE APPROVAL AT 7 NM OUT. HE TOLD ME I MUST HAVE RESPONDED TO ANOTHER ACFT'S INSTRUCTIONS. I AGAIN ASKED IF I WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 26L AND WAS GIVEN THE CLRNC. NO FURTHER MENTION WAS MADE OF THE PROB. AT NO TIME WAS THERE AN INDICATION THAT THE COM RADIO DID NOT OPERATE CORRECTLY. ALL AVIONICS IN THE ACFT WERE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. BRACKETT IS MY HOME BASE AND I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE VARIOUS PROCS FOR APCH AND DEP AT THE ARPT. AT NO TIME DID I FEEL THAT I HAD TAKEN SOMEONE ELSE'S CLRNC. I ROUTINELY READ BACK ALL ATC INSTRUCTIONS TO ASSURE THAT I AM COMPLYING CORRECTLY WITH THE REQUEST. THE TWR CTLR SEEMED UNUSUALLY TERSE AND WITH AN 'ATTITUDE.' BRACKETT WAS NOT UNUSUALLY BUSY. IF, IN FACT MY XMISSIONS WERE 'COVERED' BY ANOTHER CLOSER ACFT THEN IT HAPPENED TWICE IN SUCH PERFECT UNISON THAT THE TWR CTLR HAD NO INDICATION IT WAS HAPPENING.

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.