Narrative:

I checked in with socal approach on frequency 121.3. I know I checked in because the controller's reply was 'confirm you have ATIS information' in a sharp tone of voice. (This caused me to remember I had in fact talked to this controller after the events I will describe had ended.) I looked at the first officer (who was flying) and said I had already given ATIS information to the previous controller. We were getting close to the sna OM for runway 19R. I tried to get a word in to get an approach clearance. I finally was able to quickly ask if the controller wanted me to call tower. I was just trying to get in any word to get this guy's attention that we needed to get clearance for approach. It was already at the point we should have been talking to tower. He told me I never checked in with him and we were marked down as being NORDO (no communication). He made it sound like I was at fault and was now in trouble for not calling him. When we taxied in at sna, ground control said I had a message to call the TRACON supervisor. I called and the supervisor said he didn't know why I was calling. I told him I was told to call him. He said I was not in any trouble and not to worry about it. Somehow that doesn't ease my mind, because it sure sounded like trouble earlier. I'm left not knowing whether they didn't want to talk about it because they are trying to figure out how it was my fault or if they realized the mistake may have been on the controller's part and just want to put the events behind us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR TURBOJET PIC CALLS SCT TO RESOLVE COM ISSUE WHEN ON APCH TO SNA.

Narrative: I CHKED IN WITH SOCAL APCH ON FREQ 121.3. I KNOW I CHKED IN BECAUSE THE CTLR'S REPLY WAS 'CONFIRM YOU HAVE ATIS INFO' IN A SHARP TONE OF VOICE. (THIS CAUSED ME TO REMEMBER I HAD IN FACT TALKED TO THIS CTLR AFTER THE EVENTS I WILL DESCRIBE HAD ENDED.) I LOOKED AT THE FO (WHO WAS FLYING) AND SAID I HAD ALREADY GIVEN ATIS INFO TO THE PREVIOUS CTLR. WE WERE GETTING CLOSE TO THE SNA OM FOR RWY 19R. I TRIED TO GET A WORD IN TO GET AN APCH CLRNC. I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY ASK IF THE CTLR WANTED ME TO CALL TWR. I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET IN ANY WORD TO GET THIS GUY'S ATTN THAT WE NEEDED TO GET CLRNC FOR APCH. IT WAS ALREADY AT THE POINT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN TALKING TO TWR. HE TOLD ME I NEVER CHKED IN WITH HIM AND WE WERE MARKED DOWN AS BEING NORDO (NO COM). HE MADE IT SOUND LIKE I WAS AT FAULT AND WAS NOW IN TROUBLE FOR NOT CALLING HIM. WHEN WE TAXIED IN AT SNA, GND CTL SAID I HAD A MESSAGE TO CALL THE TRACON SUPVR. I CALLED AND THE SUPVR SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW WHY I WAS CALLING. I TOLD HIM I WAS TOLD TO CALL HIM. HE SAID I WAS NOT IN ANY TROUBLE AND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. SOMEHOW THAT DOESN'T EASE MY MIND, BECAUSE IT SURE SOUNDED LIKE TROUBLE EARLIER. I'M LEFT NOT KNOWING WHETHER THEY DIDN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW IT WAS MY FAULT OR IF THEY REALIZED THE MISTAKE MAY HAVE BEEN ON THE CTLR'S PART AND JUST WANT TO PUT THE EVENTS BEHIND US.

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.