Narrative:

Due to unfamiliar transmitter selector on audio panel, I inadvertently notified tower of my approach when listening to approach control. Because I heard no response, I noticed my error, clipped the transmitter switch, called approach. I was acknowledged by approach. However, I apparently was accepted by tower also! A few mins later, I made a call to the FBO unicom to notify them of my pending arrival. While transmitting, it seems that approach handed me over to tower. Of course, I didn't acknowledge because I didn't hear it. I'm flying the approach, listening to approach control when both controllers are thinking I'm listening to tower, even though I didn't acknowledge that I was. On short final (1 mi) I called approach who passed me over to the tower. My lesson: I'll call unicom after being handed over to tower but before calling the tower (brief unicom calls to FBO). This will remove chance of the misunderstanding. Controllers: neither awaited my readback that I understood their instructions. Apparently: neither controller had any idea this even occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INEXPERIENCED PLT OF LIGHT ACFT HAS FINGER TROUBLE WITH AUDIO PANEL FOR COMS.

Narrative: DUE TO UNFAMILIAR TRANSMITTER SELECTOR ON AUDIO PANEL, I INADVERTENTLY NOTIFIED TWR OF MY APCH WHEN LISTENING TO APCH CTL. BECAUSE I HEARD NO RESPONSE, I NOTICED MY ERROR, CLIPPED THE TRANSMITTER SWITCH, CALLED APCH. I WAS ACKNOWLEDGED BY APCH. HOWEVER, I APPARENTLY WAS ACCEPTED BY TWR ALSO! A FEW MINS LATER, I MADE A CALL TO THE FBO UNICOM TO NOTIFY THEM OF MY PENDING ARR. WHILE TRANSMITTING, IT SEEMS THAT APCH HANDED ME OVER TO TWR. OF COURSE, I DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE BECAUSE I DIDN'T HEAR IT. I'M FLYING THE APCH, LISTENING TO APCH CTL WHEN BOTH CTLRS ARE THINKING I'M LISTENING TO TWR, EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I WAS. ON SHORT FINAL (1 MI) I CALLED APCH WHO PASSED ME OVER TO THE TWR. MY LESSON: I'LL CALL UNICOM AFTER BEING HANDED OVER TO TWR BUT BEFORE CALLING THE TWR (BRIEF UNICOM CALLS TO FBO). THIS WILL REMOVE CHANCE OF THE MISUNDERSTANDING. CTLRS: NEITHER AWAITED MY READBACK THAT I UNDERSTOOD THEIR INSTRUCTIONS. APPARENTLY: NEITHER CTLR HAD ANY IDEA THIS EVEN OCCURRED.

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.