No handoff from TRACON to tower.

Attributes
ACN	88131
Time
Date	198806
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : efd
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 800 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iah tower : efd
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
ASRS Report	88131
Person 2
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flying VFR from texarkana to efd, I received a squawk 20 mi outside the TCA and was asked to say at 6000' until south of the usual approach corridors. I was then given a descent and handed off to another controller who acknowledged my presence. At that time another aircraft contacted the same controller. He was low wing 123. I was hi wing 123. I notified the controller that I had airport in sight and then asked if I could go from his frequency to tower. He became confused saying he had only 1 aircraft on his scope. This controller was not particularly busy. I think the similarity of call signs confused him. There was a T-38 in the pattern with me. Fortunately, there were no problems. I do wish he had thought to hand me off to the tower rather than just forget me. I certainly would have contacted the tower much sooner had I not been on frequency with approach. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: approach controller ignored request for frequency change to tower apparently due to confusion over like call signs. Said only 1 target on screen pilot judged a 360 degree turn necessary to avoid aircraft in pattern. Tower comment re late contact.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NO HANDOFF FROM TRACON TO TWR.

Narrative: FLYING VFR FROM TEXARKANA TO EFD, I RECEIVED A SQUAWK 20 MI OUTSIDE THE TCA AND WAS ASKED TO SAY AT 6000' UNTIL S OF THE USUAL APCH CORRIDORS. I WAS THEN GIVEN A DSCNT AND HANDED OFF TO ANOTHER CTLR WHO ACKNOWLEDGED MY PRESENCE. AT THAT TIME ANOTHER ACFT CONTACTED THE SAME CTLR. HE WAS LOW WING 123. I WAS HI WING 123. I NOTIFIED THE CTLR THAT I HAD ARPT IN SIGHT AND THEN ASKED IF I COULD GO FROM HIS FREQ TO TWR. HE BECAME CONFUSED SAYING HE HAD ONLY 1 ACFT ON HIS SCOPE. THIS CTLR WAS NOT PARTICULARLY BUSY. I THINK THE SIMILARITY OF CALL SIGNS CONFUSED HIM. THERE WAS A T-38 IN THE PATTERN WITH ME. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO PROBS. I DO WISH HE HAD THOUGHT TO HAND ME OFF TO THE TWR RATHER THAN JUST FORGET ME. I CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE CONTACTED THE TWR MUCH SOONER HAD I NOT BEEN ON FREQ WITH APCH. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: APCH CTLR IGNORED REQUEST FOR FREQ CHANGE TO TWR APPARENTLY DUE TO CONFUSION OVER LIKE CALL SIGNS. SAID ONLY 1 TARGET ON SCREEN PLT JUDGED A 360 DEG TURN NECESSARY TO AVOID ACFT IN PATTERN. TWR COMMENT RE LATE CONTACT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.