A 2 pilot crew on a test flight in a T28 got confused on who was flying and descended to about 400 ft AGL before the reporter in the front seat decided to take control of the situation.

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Attributes
ACN	373942
Time
Date	199707
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : buu airport : c52
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 400 agl bound upper : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Trojan (T28)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 500 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 26
ASRS Report	373942
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After the FBO at burlington had done some work on the intercom system, the shop called and asked if I would test fly the aircraft, to see if the problem had been fixed. (The pilot and the person in the rear cockpit have been having problems communicating while in-flight.) after takeoff we flew around and the new headsets and a repair on some wiring seemed to fix some of the problem. But, it was decided that there was still something wrong with the intercom. After 5 mins or so we headed back to burlington airport. I let the pilot in the rear cockpit fly the airplane back to the airport, and he said 'I have it.' while flying near the airport he gave me the airplane back, but I did not hear him, due to our radio problems. We were about 1/2 mi west of the airport descending in a right turn at 400 ft or so, at which point I asked what he was doing. He said I thought you were flying! At this point, I took control of the airplane, climbed to 2000 ft, entered the pattern at burlington and landed without further problems. I'm not sure how low we got, but it was around 400 ft or so.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A 2 PLT CREW ON A TEST FLT IN A T28 GOT CONFUSED ON WHO WAS FLYING AND DSNDED TO ABOUT 400 FT AGL BEFORE THE RPTR IN THE FRONT SEAT DECIDED TO TAKE CTL OF THE SIT.

Narrative: AFTER THE FBO AT BURLINGTON HAD DONE SOME WORK ON THE INTERCOM SYS, THE SHOP CALLED AND ASKED IF I WOULD TEST FLY THE ACFT, TO SEE IF THE PROB HAD BEEN FIXED. (THE PLT AND THE PERSON IN THE REAR COCKPIT HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBS COMMUNICATING WHILE INFLT.) AFTER TKOF WE FLEW AROUND AND THE NEW HEADSETS AND A REPAIR ON SOME WIRING SEEMED TO FIX SOME OF THE PROB. BUT, IT WAS DECIDED THAT THERE WAS STILL SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE INTERCOM. AFTER 5 MINS OR SO WE HEADED BACK TO BURLINGTON ARPT. I LET THE PLT IN THE REAR COCKPIT FLY THE AIRPLANE BACK TO THE ARPT, AND HE SAID 'I HAVE IT.' WHILE FLYING NEAR THE ARPT HE GAVE ME THE AIRPLANE BACK, BUT I DID NOT HEAR HIM, DUE TO OUR RADIO PROBS. WE WERE ABOUT 1/2 MI W OF THE ARPT DSNDING IN A R TURN AT 400 FT OR SO, AT WHICH POINT I ASKED WHAT HE WAS DOING. HE SAID I THOUGHT YOU WERE FLYING! AT THIS POINT, I TOOK CTL OF THE AIRPLANE, CLBED TO 2000 FT, ENTERED THE PATTERN AT BURLINGTON AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER PROBS. I'M NOT SURE HOW LOW WE GOT, BUT IT WAS AROUND 400 FT OR SO.

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.