Narrative:

Approach navigation frequencys currently set and verified. Turn to intercept localizer normal and both localizer and GS needles centered. Clearance to complete the approach given and acknowledged, although right/T volume was very high. Although on a vectored instrument approach, conditions were VFR and in view of high VFR traffic volume a VFR scan was maintained as well monitor of panel indications. Approximately 1 NM outside LOM (estimate since aural indications obscured my right/T traffic and panel indication of approach and passage not recalled), approach directed shift to tower frequency. However, instead of expected 'contact mfy tower on 119.2' the following received: '...contact 125.7...lindbergh tower.' this was a frequency I was not familiar with, and which is not shown on approach plate. At this point what had been a normal approach to the ILS began to deteriorate. My initial thought (despite correct panel indications) was that approach thinks I am inbound to san and somehow I have ended up in the san approach stream. Due to right/T volume, I was not able to get in to the controller to clarify. The situation compounded when I looked right and saw an airport with an east/west runway low and 3 O'clock position. I thought (again despite correctly centered needles) that I was passing myf to the left (airport was see). Due to the low haze, I could not see visually where instrument indications indicated myf should be. At this point my spatial and situational awareness deteriorated. I tried again to raise approach with no result and elected to execute a slow 360 degree turn in order to attempt to clarify my position. Halfway through the turn approach contacted me and asked if I was turning. I verified that I was and requested verification of the given frequency (125.7) and my location. The frequency was verified and the stupidity of my turning maneuver pointed out. I rolled onto the final approach leg and was told I was now on visual approach to the runway 28R. The remaining leg of the approach and landing was completed without incident. I was directed to contact socal TRACON supervisor (not unexpected). We discussed the stupidity of my maneuver at some length, a discussion which I agreed with. Contributing factors: tower frequency not commonly used, high right/T volume for san traffic, pilot fatigue due to cockpit heat (held on ground at emt for 30 mins awaiting flow release), split attention between instrument approach and VFR scan, reduced visual ground cues and failure to trust instrument indications. All combining to create loss of situational and spatial awareness.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A TB10 TOBAGO PLT GETS CONFUSED DURING HIS ILS APCH TO MYF WHEN HE IS ISSUED A STRANGE FREQ FOR THE TWR. TEXT STATES THAT 'LINDBERGH TWR' WAS SAID, VERSUS 'MONTGOMERY TWR.' RPTR DOES A 360 DEG ON FINAL TO ATC'S CONCERN.

Narrative: APCH NAV FREQS CURRENTLY SET AND VERIFIED. TURN TO INTERCEPT LOC NORMAL AND BOTH LOC AND GS NEEDLES CTRED. CLRNC TO COMPLETE THE APCH GIVEN AND ACKNOWLEDGED, ALTHOUGH R/T VOLUME WAS VERY HIGH. ALTHOUGH ON A VECTORED INST APCH, CONDITIONS WERE VFR AND IN VIEW OF HIGH VFR TFC VOLUME A VFR SCAN WAS MAINTAINED AS WELL MONITOR OF PANEL INDICATIONS. APPROX 1 NM OUTSIDE LOM (ESTIMATE SINCE AURAL INDICATIONS OBSCURED MY R/T TFC AND PANEL INDICATION OF APCH AND PASSAGE NOT RECALLED), APCH DIRECTED SHIFT TO TWR FREQ. HOWEVER, INSTEAD OF EXPECTED 'CONTACT MFY TWR ON 119.2' THE FOLLOWING RECEIVED: '...CONTACT 125.7...LINDBERGH TWR.' THIS WAS A FREQ I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH, AND WHICH IS NOT SHOWN ON APCH PLATE. AT THIS POINT WHAT HAD BEEN A NORMAL APCH TO THE ILS BEGAN TO DETERIORATE. MY INITIAL THOUGHT (DESPITE CORRECT PANEL INDICATIONS) WAS THAT APCH THINKS I AM INBOUND TO SAN AND SOMEHOW I HAVE ENDED UP IN THE SAN APCH STREAM. DUE TO R/T VOLUME, I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET IN TO THE CTLR TO CLARIFY. THE SIT COMPOUNDED WHEN I LOOKED R AND SAW AN ARPT WITH AN E/W RWY LOW AND 3 O'CLOCK POS. I THOUGHT (AGAIN DESPITE CORRECTLY CTRED NEEDLES) THAT I WAS PASSING MYF TO THE L (ARPT WAS SEE). DUE TO THE LOW HAZE, I COULD NOT SEE VISUALLY WHERE INST INDICATIONS INDICATED MYF SHOULD BE. AT THIS POINT MY SPATIAL AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS DETERIORATED. I TRIED AGAIN TO RAISE APCH WITH NO RESULT AND ELECTED TO EXECUTE A SLOW 360 DEG TURN IN ORDER TO ATTEMPT TO CLARIFY MY POS. HALFWAY THROUGH THE TURN APCH CONTACTED ME AND ASKED IF I WAS TURNING. I VERIFIED THAT I WAS AND REQUESTED VERIFICATION OF THE GIVEN FREQ (125.7) AND MY LOCATION. THE FREQ WAS VERIFIED AND THE STUPIDITY OF MY TURNING MANEUVER POINTED OUT. I ROLLED ONTO THE FINAL APCH LEG AND WAS TOLD I WAS NOW ON VISUAL APCH TO THE RWY 28R. THE REMAINING LEG OF THE APCH AND LNDG WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I WAS DIRECTED TO CONTACT SOCAL TRACON SUPVR (NOT UNEXPECTED). WE DISCUSSED THE STUPIDITY OF MY MANEUVER AT SOME LENGTH, A DISCUSSION WHICH I AGREED WITH. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: TWR FREQ NOT COMMONLY USED, HIGH R/T VOLUME FOR SAN TFC, PLT FATIGUE DUE TO COCKPIT HEAT (HELD ON GND AT EMT FOR 30 MINS AWAITING FLOW RELEASE), SPLIT ATTN BTWN INST APCH AND VFR SCAN, REDUCED VISUAL GND CUES AND FAILURE TO TRUST INST INDICATIONS. ALL COMBINING TO CREATE LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AND SPATIAL AWARENESS.

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.