Narrative:

After an extended delay because of poor WX, an unscheduled change of departure airport from dca to bwi, and being repositioned by ground transportation, we departed bwi more than 3 hours late. The flight was uneventful until we began the descent to pvd. While being vectored for the VOR DME runway 16 approach, ZNY's xmissions became increasingly weak and broken, and had to be confirmed repeatedly. Upon switching to pvd tower frequency of 120.70, I transmitted our position. When no reply came after 2 xmissions, I believed pvd tower to be closed. I continued advisory transmission on the tower frequency. After an uneventful landing, while taxiing to the gate, I unsuccessfully attempted to contact ZNY to close out our flight plan. After switching back to the local frequency, we were dismayed to hear pvd tower talking to other aircraft. Immediately we contacted them. They advised us that none of our xmissions were received, and advised they were not a part-time tower. I'm confused as to why we were unable to contact pvd tower. My guess is, when switching from 1 radio head to the other, possibly electrical contact was not made. An unfamiliar airport, and a VOR approach requiring increased diligence, and my incorrect assumption that the tower was closed unfortunately kept us from following up, checking and selecting another radio. Fatigue from a 14 hour day, a long duty period the previous day, led me down the path of get homeitis. This, along with difficulties being able to hear center's transmission, and not using all available information, were factors leading to an error that should not have occurred. Supplemental information from acn 141285: the first officer told me that pvd tower was closed at 2230 local, so we broadcasted our intentions to land in the clear several times on 120.70, tower frequency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LNDG AND TAXI WITHOUT CLRNC. UNAUTH PENETRATION OF ATA WHEN COM LOST.

Narrative: AFTER AN EXTENDED DELAY BECAUSE OF POOR WX, AN UNSCHEDULED CHANGE OF DEP ARPT FROM DCA TO BWI, AND BEING REPOSITIONED BY GND TRANSPORTATION, WE DEPARTED BWI MORE THAN 3 HRS LATE. THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL WE BEGAN THE DSCNT TO PVD. WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR THE VOR DME RWY 16 APCH, ZNY'S XMISSIONS BECAME INCREASINGLY WEAK AND BROKEN, AND HAD TO BE CONFIRMED REPEATEDLY. UPON SWITCHING TO PVD TWR FREQ OF 120.70, I XMITTED OUR POS. WHEN NO REPLY CAME AFTER 2 XMISSIONS, I BELIEVED PVD TWR TO BE CLOSED. I CONTINUED ADVISORY XMISSION ON THE TWR FREQ. AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG, WHILE TAXIING TO THE GATE, I UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT ZNY TO CLOSE OUT OUR FLT PLAN. AFTER SWITCHING BACK TO THE LCL FREQ, WE WERE DISMAYED TO HEAR PVD TWR TALKING TO OTHER ACFT. IMMEDIATELY WE CONTACTED THEM. THEY ADVISED US THAT NONE OF OUR XMISSIONS WERE RECEIVED, AND ADVISED THEY WERE NOT A PART-TIME TWR. I'M CONFUSED AS TO WHY WE WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT PVD TWR. MY GUESS IS, WHEN SWITCHING FROM 1 RADIO HEAD TO THE OTHER, POSSIBLY ELECTRICAL CONTACT WAS NOT MADE. AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT, AND A VOR APCH REQUIRING INCREASED DILIGENCE, AND MY INCORRECT ASSUMPTION THAT THE TWR WAS CLOSED UNFORTUNATELY KEPT US FROM FOLLOWING UP, CHKING AND SELECTING ANOTHER RADIO. FATIGUE FROM A 14 HR DAY, A LONG DUTY PERIOD THE PREVIOUS DAY, LED ME DOWN THE PATH OF GET HOMEITIS. THIS, ALONG WITH DIFFICULTIES BEING ABLE TO HEAR CENTER'S XMISSION, AND NOT USING ALL AVAILABLE INFO, WERE FACTORS LEADING TO AN ERROR THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 141285: THE F/O TOLD ME THAT PVD TWR WAS CLOSED AT 2230 LCL, SO WE BROADCASTED OUR INTENTIONS TO LAND IN THE CLEAR SEVERAL TIMES ON 120.70, TWR FREQ.

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.