Narrative:

This was a late night flight from bangor, me (bgr) to sacramento mather field (mhr) for a passenger drop off, and continuing to san francisco. We were cleared for ILS runway 22L approach, and were on a long straight in final. The WX was clear with unlimited visibility. The time was approximately XA10 local. When norcal approach instructed us to contact mather tower, we got no response, and switched back to approach control to confirm the frequency. On second attempt, still no contact on tower nor ground control frequency. We broadcast our position and intentions on tower frequency, and a helicopter that was in the local area told us he had us in sight, and would stay clear of final. He added that he had been trying unsuccessfully to contact tower for the last 10 mins or longer. We reported this to norcal approach, who then attempted to contact tower on the land line, but got no answer to their call. We continued the final approach and landing using the appropriate calls and procedures for the tower being 'closed.' after clearing the runway, we heard the tower talking to the helicopter. He made contact, and got taxi clearance to the FBO. When we asked the tower controller if he had heard our calls on final, he tersely replied 'roger.' it seemed he definitely did not want to discuss it, and we did not press him for further details. After discharging our passenger, we obtained our IFR clearance from the same controller and departed at XA52 local for san francisco. The entire situation made me wonder about the tower controller's performance, but with radio contact with the helicopter, the only other local traffic, there was never any doubt regarding safety. When we were unable to contact tower, either on the radio, or through approach control's attempted phone call, I considered the tower temporarily closed and used appropriate procedures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GLF4 CREW INBOUND TO MHR DURING EARLY MORNING HR UNABLE TO ESTABLISH COM WITH TWR AND LANDED USING CTAF PROC.

Narrative: THIS WAS A LATE NIGHT FLT FROM BANGOR, ME (BGR) TO SACRAMENTO MATHER FIELD (MHR) FOR A PAX DROP OFF, AND CONTINUING TO SAN FRANCISCO. WE WERE CLRED FOR ILS RWY 22L APCH, AND WERE ON A LONG STRAIGHT IN FINAL. THE WX WAS CLR WITH UNLIMITED VISIBILITY. THE TIME WAS APPROX XA10 LCL. WHEN NORCAL APCH INSTRUCTED US TO CONTACT MATHER TWR, WE GOT NO RESPONSE, AND SWITCHED BACK TO APCH CTL TO CONFIRM THE FREQ. ON SECOND ATTEMPT, STILL NO CONTACT ON TWR NOR GND CTL FREQ. WE BROADCAST OUR POS AND INTENTIONS ON TWR FREQ, AND A HELI THAT WAS IN THE LCL AREA TOLD US HE HAD US IN SIGHT, AND WOULD STAY CLR OF FINAL. HE ADDED THAT HE HAD BEEN TRYING UNSUCCESSFULLY TO CONTACT TWR FOR THE LAST 10 MINS OR LONGER. WE RPTED THIS TO NORCAL APCH, WHO THEN ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT TWR ON THE LAND LINE, BUT GOT NO ANSWER TO THEIR CALL. WE CONTINUED THE FINAL APCH AND LNDG USING THE APPROPRIATE CALLS AND PROCS FOR THE TWR BEING 'CLOSED.' AFTER CLRING THE RWY, WE HEARD THE TWR TALKING TO THE HELI. HE MADE CONTACT, AND GOT TAXI CLRNC TO THE FBO. WHEN WE ASKED THE TWR CTLR IF HE HAD HEARD OUR CALLS ON FINAL, HE TERSELY REPLIED 'ROGER.' IT SEEMED HE DEFINITELY DID NOT WANT TO DISCUSS IT, AND WE DID NOT PRESS HIM FOR FURTHER DETAILS. AFTER DISCHARGING OUR PAX, WE OBTAINED OUR IFR CLRNC FROM THE SAME CTLR AND DEPARTED AT XA52 LCL FOR SAN FRANCISCO. THE ENTIRE SIT MADE ME WONDER ABOUT THE TWR CTLR'S PERFORMANCE, BUT WITH RADIO CONTACT WITH THE HELI, THE ONLY OTHER LCL TFC, THERE WAS NEVER ANY DOUBT REGARDING SAFETY. WHEN WE WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT TWR, EITHER ON THE RADIO, OR THROUGH APCH CTL'S ATTEMPTED PHONE CALL, I CONSIDERED THE TWR TEMPORARILY CLOSED AND USED APPROPRIATE PROCS.

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.