Narrative:

Flight from tpa to ptk to pick up patient at ptk. Lear 35 in air ambulance. WX was reported poor at ptk. We had been getting complaints from #1 communication radio. Numerous ATC facilities reported weak and barely readable xmissions although we were receiving fine. We began using #2 communication which only had 1 frequency unlike #1 which had active and standby frequencys. We received no complaints from #2 communication. We were vectored to and intercepted ILS to ptk and told to contact tower. I dialed what I thought was ptk tower frequency in #2 communication and made call on ILS then got busy running checklist and monitoring approach (captain was flying). Upon breaking out approximately 300 ft, captain asked if we were cleared to land. I attempted calling tower again and received no response. I tried a couple times with no luck. Noting that runway was clear we elected to land rather than go around. After clearing runway we called ground and communicated without a problem although they were not thrilled with our communications procedures. In retrospect I believe I dialed in wrong frequency. Ptk tower is 120.50, I think I dialed 120.05 and never caught it. I had 120.50 set in #1 communication but we were using #2 communication and I made mistake when switching. Using slightly different procedure on #2 communication helped cause problem. I got busy and never caught it. Timing when switching from approach to tower is typically bad. We got switched while intercepting GS and is time when I am lowering gear and final flap and running final checklist (in which tower communication is not included). This makes it easy to miss important details. I will include cleared to land check on final checklist as well as mental checklist -- gear down, full flap down, cleared to land.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A LEAR, LR35, LANDED WITHOUT CLRNC DUE TO THE FO DIALING IN THE WRONG FREQ.

Narrative: FLT FROM TPA TO PTK TO PICK UP PATIENT AT PTK. LEAR 35 IN AIR AMBULANCE. WX WAS RPTED POOR AT PTK. WE HAD BEEN GETTING COMPLAINTS FROM #1 COM RADIO. NUMEROUS ATC FACILITIES RPTED WEAK AND BARELY READABLE XMISSIONS ALTHOUGH WE WERE RECEIVING FINE. WE BEGAN USING #2 COM WHICH ONLY HAD 1 FREQ UNLIKE #1 WHICH HAD ACTIVE AND STANDBY FREQS. WE RECEIVED NO COMPLAINTS FROM #2 COM. WE WERE VECTORED TO AND INTERCEPTED ILS TO PTK AND TOLD TO CONTACT TWR. I DIALED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS PTK TWR FREQ IN #2 COM AND MADE CALL ON ILS THEN GOT BUSY RUNNING CHKLIST AND MONITORING APCH (CAPT WAS FLYING). UPON BREAKING OUT APPROX 300 FT, CAPT ASKED IF WE WERE CLRED TO LAND. I ATTEMPTED CALLING TWR AGAIN AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. I TRIED A COUPLE TIMES WITH NO LUCK. NOTING THAT RWY WAS CLR WE ELECTED TO LAND RATHER THAN GAR. AFTER CLRING RWY WE CALLED GND AND COMMUNICATED WITHOUT A PROB ALTHOUGH THEY WERE NOT THRILLED WITH OUR COMS PROCS. IN RETROSPECT I BELIEVE I DIALED IN WRONG FREQ. PTK TWR IS 120.50, I THINK I DIALED 120.05 AND NEVER CAUGHT IT. I HAD 120.50 SET IN #1 COM BUT WE WERE USING #2 COM AND I MADE MISTAKE WHEN SWITCHING. USING SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PROC ON #2 COM HELPED CAUSE PROB. I GOT BUSY AND NEVER CAUGHT IT. TIMING WHEN SWITCHING FROM APCH TO TWR IS TYPICALLY BAD. WE GOT SWITCHED WHILE INTERCEPTING GS AND IS TIME WHEN I AM LOWERING GEAR AND FINAL FLAP AND RUNNING FINAL CHKLIST (IN WHICH TWR COM IS NOT INCLUDED). THIS MAKES IT EASY TO MISS IMPORTANT DETAILS. I WILL INCLUDE CLRED TO LAND CHK ON FINAL CHKLIST AS WELL AS MENTAL CHKLIST -- GEAR DOWN, FULL FLAP DOWN, CLRED TO LAND.

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.