Narrative:

My small aircraft was in for recurrent gear horn problems. My flight purpose was to test the gear horn repair. After completing all preflight checks I called CTAF thinking the tower was closed at xapm. (Tower actually closes in summer at 9 pm.) I was not aware that my lower radio vol was low. I transmitted all appropriate intentions, taxi, runway in use, takeoff intentions, etc. All this time the tower was receiving all of my broadcasts and since my vol was down I could not hear their return xmissions. My 20 mi flight commences at approximately XA10 pm and I was not aware something abnormal was happening until I returned to enter the pattern and saw several aircraft taxiing to the runup area. I realized I had not heard their intentions and began checking my radios. I immediately found my vol down and turned it up. To my great chagrin I was greeted by a very unhappy tower controller who gave me approval to land. I was requested to contact the tower manager on 6/mon/90 (which I subsequently did). The following are my reasons for the foul up: 1) I was in a hurry to return home to be with friends. 2) I did not perceive the tip off that the tower was open since I had checked ATIS for field conditions. 3) FSS personnel always acknowledge transmission when tower is closed. I did not pick up this tip. 4) my checklist will contain a new notation (double-check radios). 5) I will become more familiar with airports of intended activity. 6) I will slow down. The tower manager kindly told me that he would not pursue a report of the mishap.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT PERFORMS AN UNAUTH TAXI TKOF INTO SAC ARSA ATA.

Narrative: MY SMA WAS IN FOR RECURRENT GEAR HORN PROBS. MY FLT PURPOSE WAS TO TEST THE GEAR HORN REPAIR. AFTER COMPLETING ALL PREFLT CHKS I CALLED CTAF THINKING THE TWR WAS CLOSED AT XAPM. (TWR ACTUALLY CLOSES IN SUMMER AT 9 PM.) I WAS NOT AWARE THAT MY LOWER RADIO VOL WAS LOW. I XMITTED ALL APPROPRIATE INTENTIONS, TAXI, RWY IN USE, TKOF INTENTIONS, ETC. ALL THIS TIME THE TWR WAS RECEIVING ALL OF MY BROADCASTS AND SINCE MY VOL WAS DOWN I COULD NOT HEAR THEIR RETURN XMISSIONS. MY 20 MI FLT COMMENCES AT APPROX XA10 PM AND I WAS NOT AWARE SOMETHING ABNORMAL WAS HAPPENING UNTIL I RETURNED TO ENTER THE PATTERN AND SAW SEVERAL ACFT TAXIING TO THE RUNUP AREA. I REALIZED I HAD NOT HEARD THEIR INTENTIONS AND BEGAN CHKING MY RADIOS. I IMMEDIATELY FOUND MY VOL DOWN AND TURNED IT UP. TO MY GREAT CHAGRIN I WAS GREETED BY A VERY UNHAPPY TWR CTLR WHO GAVE ME APPROVAL TO LAND. I WAS REQUESTED TO CONTACT THE TWR MGR ON 6/MON/90 (WHICH I SUBSEQUENTLY DID). THE FOLLOWING ARE MY REASONS FOR THE FOUL UP: 1) I WAS IN A HURRY TO RETURN HOME TO BE WITH FRIENDS. 2) I DID NOT PERCEIVE THE TIP OFF THAT THE TWR WAS OPEN SINCE I HAD CHKED ATIS FOR FIELD CONDITIONS. 3) FSS PERSONNEL ALWAYS ACKNOWLEDGE XMISSION WHEN TWR IS CLOSED. I DID NOT PICK UP THIS TIP. 4) MY CHKLIST WILL CONTAIN A NEW NOTATION (DOUBLE-CHK RADIOS). 5) I WILL BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH ARPTS OF INTENDED ACTIVITY. 6) I WILL SLOW DOWN. THE TWR MGR KINDLY TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD NOT PURSUE A RPT OF THE MISHAP.

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.