Narrative:

Approaching las, the first officer left ARTCC frequency to me while he went to get the ATIS and gate information. While he was off the #1 communication, I monitored the frequency and during that time received no xmissions directed toward our flight. There were other xmissions for other aircraft during that time. When he returned, I asked him to get a descent clearance and when he requested it we were told that we were on the wrong frequency and instructed to contact ZLA, which we did. The controller was not happy that we were not monitoring the frequency and issued a descent clearance. When I looked down at the radio I realized that the first officer had inadvertently tuned the #1 communication to a different unassigned ZLA frequency. All the time he was acquiring the airport and gate information, I was monitoring the wrong frequency without knowing it. I was hearing other aircraft receiving and responding to clrncs and because of that, didn't realize that the switch had been made. This was the second time that the first officer had made a mistake in using the radios. The first mistake was not a tuning error, but an improper use of the selector buttons on the audio panel. We discussed each incident and I determined that he knew how to operate the radios, but had simply made a mistake. He is a highly professional and a very competent pilot who just made a mistake.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A319 CREW, INBOUND TO LAS, MISTUNED THEIR VHF COMS RADIO, MISSING CALLS FROM ATC.

Narrative: APCHING LAS, THE FO LEFT ARTCC FREQ TO ME WHILE HE WENT TO GET THE ATIS AND GATE INFO. WHILE HE WAS OFF THE #1 COM, I MONITORED THE FREQ AND DURING THAT TIME RECEIVED NO XMISSIONS DIRECTED TOWARD OUR FLT. THERE WERE OTHER XMISSIONS FOR OTHER ACFT DURING THAT TIME. WHEN HE RETURNED, I ASKED HIM TO GET A DSCNT CLRNC AND WHEN HE REQUESTED IT WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WERE ON THE WRONG FREQ AND INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT ZLA, WHICH WE DID. THE CTLR WAS NOT HAPPY THAT WE WERE NOT MONITORING THE FREQ AND ISSUED A DSCNT CLRNC. WHEN I LOOKED DOWN AT THE RADIO I REALIZED THAT THE FO HAD INADVERTENTLY TUNED THE #1 COM TO A DIFFERENT UNASSIGNED ZLA FREQ. ALL THE TIME HE WAS ACQUIRING THE ARPT AND GATE INFO, I WAS MONITORING THE WRONG FREQ WITHOUT KNOWING IT. I WAS HEARING OTHER ACFT RECEIVING AND RESPONDING TO CLRNCS AND BECAUSE OF THAT, DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THE SWITCH HAD BEEN MADE. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE FO HAD MADE A MISTAKE IN USING THE RADIOS. THE FIRST MISTAKE WAS NOT A TUNING ERROR, BUT AN IMPROPER USE OF THE SELECTOR BUTTONS ON THE AUDIO PANEL. WE DISCUSSED EACH INCIDENT AND I DETERMINED THAT HE KNEW HOW TO OPERATE THE RADIOS, BUT HAD SIMPLY MADE A MISTAKE. HE IS A HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL AND A VERY COMPETENT PLT WHO JUST MADE A MISTAKE.

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.