A C172 pilot turned off his VHF communication radio then later attempted to make the standard CTAF c...

Attributes
ACN	375900
Time
Date	199707
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mer
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time type : 159
ASRS Report	375900
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe conflict : ground less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On jul/xa/97 I took my first passenger for a flight from pao to castle airport. As I have been instructed, I broadcast my crosswind, downwind, base leg, and final approach on CTAF 123.0. There was no response to a request for landing advisory nor any evidence of traffic at castle. While taxiing from the runway to the runup area, I was explaining the procedures to my passenger. Because he was having difficulty hearing me over the communications from other airports also on 123.0, I turned off the communications channel. Before taxiing onto the runway for takeoff, I turned at the hold line at about 75 degrees toward the final approach. I observed no one. When I broadcast my intention to takeoff, I heard nothing. Shortly after I began my takeoff roll, another small plane flew past me to the right, and I realized that the other plane had been on final approach when I had taxied into place for takeoff. I wondered why the pilot had not broadcast his approach. Checking the communications channel, I noted that my communications switch was still in the off position and knew that it was I who had made a serious error in safety. I had violated the other pilot's right-of-way and endangered both of us. My instructor had emphasized many times that I make broadcasts of all actions being taken in non twred airports and that I always make a 90 degree turn toward final approach before taxiing past the hold line, just in case another pilot who is not using a radio is on final approach. The FAA examiner who gave me my check ride complimented me on the safety measures I took at non twred airports. However, I made 2 serious errors on the same takeoff: 1) I should have made a full 90 degree turn toward the final approach. 2) I should always make certain that the communications channel over which I am broadcasting is on and working. I plan to do both of these things in my future flts, and I feel fortunate that there was not an accident as a result of my carelessness.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT TURNED OFF HIS VHF COM RADIO THEN LATER ATTEMPTED TO MAKE THE STANDARD CTAF CALLS ON THE INOP RADIO. NOT RECEIVING ANY REPLY, HE TAXIED ONTO THE RWY IN FRONT OF AN APCHING ACFT.

Narrative: ON JUL/XA/97 I TOOK MY FIRST PAX FOR A FLT FROM PAO TO CASTLE ARPT. AS I HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED, I BROADCAST MY XWIND, DOWNWIND, BASE LEG, AND FINAL APCH ON CTAF 123.0. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO A REQUEST FOR LNDG ADVISORY NOR ANY EVIDENCE OF TFC AT CASTLE. WHILE TAXIING FROM THE RWY TO THE RUNUP AREA, I WAS EXPLAINING THE PROCS TO MY PAX. BECAUSE HE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY HEARING ME OVER THE COMS FROM OTHER ARPTS ALSO ON 123.0, I TURNED OFF THE COMS CHANNEL. BEFORE TAXIING ONTO THE RWY FOR TKOF, I TURNED AT THE HOLD LINE AT ABOUT 75 DEGS TOWARD THE FINAL APCH. I OBSERVED NO ONE. WHEN I BROADCAST MY INTENTION TO TKOF, I HEARD NOTHING. SHORTLY AFTER I BEGAN MY TKOF ROLL, ANOTHER SMALL PLANE FLEW PAST ME TO THE R, AND I REALIZED THAT THE OTHER PLANE HAD BEEN ON FINAL APCH WHEN I HAD TAXIED INTO PLACE FOR TKOF. I WONDERED WHY THE PLT HAD NOT BROADCAST HIS APCH. CHKING THE COMS CHANNEL, I NOTED THAT MY COMS SWITCH WAS STILL IN THE OFF POS AND KNEW THAT IT WAS I WHO HAD MADE A SERIOUS ERROR IN SAFETY. I HAD VIOLATED THE OTHER PLT'S RIGHT-OF-WAY AND ENDANGERED BOTH OF US. MY INSTRUCTOR HAD EMPHASIZED MANY TIMES THAT I MAKE BROADCASTS OF ALL ACTIONS BEING TAKEN IN NON TWRED ARPTS AND THAT I ALWAYS MAKE A 90 DEG TURN TOWARD FINAL APCH BEFORE TAXIING PAST THE HOLD LINE, JUST IN CASE ANOTHER PLT WHO IS NOT USING A RADIO IS ON FINAL APCH. THE FAA EXAMINER WHO GAVE ME MY CHK RIDE COMPLIMENTED ME ON THE SAFETY MEASURES I TOOK AT NON TWRED ARPTS. HOWEVER, I MADE 2 SERIOUS ERRORS ON THE SAME TKOF: 1) I SHOULD HAVE MADE A FULL 90 DEG TURN TOWARD THE FINAL APCH. 2) I SHOULD ALWAYS MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE COMS CHANNEL OVER WHICH I AM BROADCASTING IS ON AND WORKING. I PLAN TO DO BOTH OF THESE THINGS IN MY FUTURE FLTS, AND I FEEL FORTUNATE THAT THERE WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT OF MY CARELESSNESS.

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.

A C172 pilot turned off his VHF communication radio then later attempted to make the standard CTAF calls on the inoperative radio. Not receiving any reply, he taxied onto the runway in front of an approaching aircraft.