Atx small transport controlled flight toward terrain on night VFR approach to slc.

Attributes
ACN	103247
Time
Date	198901
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : slc
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc tracon : slc tower : slc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 3100
ASRS Report	103247
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying a lifeguard flight from bil to slc. Conditions all during flight were VFR. Alc was reporting some restr visibility due to smoke, however when I arrived there was no cloud cover and visibility was up to 10 mi with some smoke in the vicinity of the airport. I was handed off by slc center to slc approach. I had been cleared from FL180 to 12000'. As we neared ogden, approach turned me to a heading of 180 degrees and to descend to 9000'. Upon reaching 9000' on the proper heading I decided to set up the tower frequency on one of the 2 communications in anticipation of being handed off to tower. When I dialed in the tower frequency I inadvertently used the radio which I had set approach frequency. My intent was to use the #2 radio which I had used for slc center. My radio setting, therefore,was #1-slc tower, #2-slc center. The compass locator which was set on the ADF identing the OM. As I came abeam of the OM I became concerned because I had not been cleared to turn inbound or to vacate to a lower altitude. Conditions were still VFR (night) and I could see that I was west of the location normally used by the ATC for traffic flow. I contacted what I thought was approach (actually center) and said I had not heard from them and was getting concerned. Center came back and said to make an immediate right 180 degree turn--I was flying toward rising terrain. I made an immediate turn and climbed, concerned that rising terrain was close. Center asked if I was VFR. I indicated affirmative and they (center) requested I remain VFR and to recontact approach, giving me the appropriate frequency. Approach issued new headings getting me back on the proper approach course to slc. I was requested by tower to call approach control once I got on the ground. I explained to the gentleman who answered the telephone what had happened. He indicated both approach and tower had been trying to contact me, even broadcasting over network. I did not have the audio turned on for tower, nor did I have the VOR voice turned on. Only the audio on the compass locator and the audio for slc center were active.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX SMT CONTROLLED FLT TOWARD TERRAIN ON NIGHT VFR APCH TO SLC.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING A LIFEGUARD FLT FROM BIL TO SLC. CONDITIONS ALL DURING FLT WERE VFR. ALC WAS RPTING SOME RESTR VISIBILITY DUE TO SMOKE, HOWEVER WHEN I ARRIVED THERE WAS NO CLOUD COVER AND VISIBILITY WAS UP TO 10 MI WITH SOME SMOKE IN THE VICINITY OF THE ARPT. I WAS HANDED OFF BY SLC CENTER TO SLC APCH. I HAD BEEN CLRED FROM FL180 TO 12000'. AS WE NEARED OGDEN, APCH TURNED ME TO A HDG OF 180 DEGS AND TO DSND TO 9000'. UPON REACHING 9000' ON THE PROPER HDG I DECIDED TO SET UP THE TWR FREQ ON ONE OF THE 2 COMS IN ANTICIPATION OF BEING HANDED OFF TO TWR. WHEN I DIALED IN THE TWR FREQ I INADVERTENTLY USED THE RADIO WHICH I HAD SET APCH FREQ. MY INTENT WAS TO USE THE #2 RADIO WHICH I HAD USED FOR SLC CENTER. MY RADIO SETTING, THEREFORE,WAS #1-SLC TWR, #2-SLC CENTER. THE COMPASS LOCATOR WHICH WAS SET ON THE ADF IDENTING THE OM. AS I CAME ABEAM OF THE OM I BECAME CONCERNED BECAUSE I HAD NOT BEEN CLRED TO TURN INBND OR TO VACATE TO A LOWER ALT. CONDITIONS WERE STILL VFR (NIGHT) AND I COULD SEE THAT I WAS W OF THE LOCATION NORMALLY USED BY THE ATC FOR TFC FLOW. I CONTACTED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS APCH (ACTUALLY CENTER) AND SAID I HAD NOT HEARD FROM THEM AND WAS GETTING CONCERNED. CENTER CAME BACK AND SAID TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE RIGHT 180 DEG TURN--I WAS FLYING TOWARD RISING TERRAIN. I MADE AN IMMEDIATE TURN AND CLBED, CONCERNED THAT RISING TERRAIN WAS CLOSE. CENTER ASKED IF I WAS VFR. I INDICATED AFFIRMATIVE AND THEY (CENTER) REQUESTED I REMAIN VFR AND TO RECONTACT APCH, GIVING ME THE APPROPRIATE FREQ. APCH ISSUED NEW HDGS GETTING ME BACK ON THE PROPER APCH COURSE TO SLC. I WAS REQUESTED BY TWR TO CALL APCH CTL ONCE I GOT ON THE GND. I EXPLAINED TO THE GENTLEMAN WHO ANSWERED THE TELEPHONE WHAT HAD HAPPENED. HE INDICATED BOTH APCH AND TWR HAD BEEN TRYING TO CONTACT ME, EVEN BROADCASTING OVER NETWORK. I DID NOT HAVE THE AUDIO TURNED ON FOR TWR, NOR DID I HAVE THE VOR VOICE TURNED ON. ONLY THE AUDIO ON THE COMPASS LOCATOR AND THE AUDIO FOR SLC CENTER WERE ACTIVE.

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.