Pilot reports inadequate handoff procedure from TRACON to tower during 3 practice INS approachs.

Attributes
ACN	156147
Time
Date	199009
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mry
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mry tracon : sjc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	156147
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

While conducting practice ILS approachs to mry 10R, on 2 occasions we were not handed off properly from approach to tower frequency. This did not result in a loss of sep but did cause delays for departing aircraft. The same event also occurred during 1 practice ILS approach to sjc. In all 3 cases, the approach frequency was moderately busy, but not congested. Suggest that more emphasis be placed upon proper handoffs from approach to tower frequencys when conducting practice approachs, and that pilots be prepared to switch to tower frequency in any case when reaching the FAF. I would also comment that cfii as opposed to qualified safety pilots who are not cfii's are better able to catch a missed handoff while a pilot is practicing an approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT REPORTS INADEQUATE HANDOFF PROC FROM TRACON TO TWR DURING 3 PRACTICE INS APCHS.

Narrative: WHILE CONDUCTING PRACTICE ILS APCHS TO MRY 10R, ON 2 OCCASIONS WE WERE NOT HANDED OFF PROPERLY FROM APCH TO TWR FREQ. THIS DID NOT RESULT IN A LOSS OF SEP BUT DID CAUSE DELAYS FOR DEPARTING ACFT. THE SAME EVENT ALSO OCCURRED DURING 1 PRACTICE ILS APCH TO SJC. IN ALL 3 CASES, THE APCH FREQ WAS MODERATELY BUSY, BUT NOT CONGESTED. SUGGEST THAT MORE EMPHASIS BE PLACED UPON PROPER HDOFS FROM APCH TO TWR FREQS WHEN CONDUCTING PRACTICE APCHS, AND THAT PLTS BE PREPARED TO SWITCH TO TWR FREQ IN ANY CASE WHEN REACHING THE FAF. I WOULD ALSO COMMENT THAT CFII AS OPPOSED TO QUALIFIED SAFETY PLTS WHO ARE NOT CFII'S ARE BETTER ABLE TO CATCH A MISSED HDOF WHILE A PLT IS PRACTICING AN APCH.

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.