Narrative:

As we were given frequency change to advisory frequency north las vegas, approach informed us there was traffic inbound from the northeast to north las vegas. I acknowledged saying I had traffic in sight. I then changed the #1 radio, which I had been using for approach, over to the advisory frequency 125.70. As we approached the valley bank I called an extended right base for runway 7 (the normal procedure). As we got closer we kept the other traffic in sight and it appeared to be maneuvering over the airport to get oriented, we didn't hear any traffic and thought he was probably unfamiliar with the area (the AOPA convention was in town) so we attempted to contact him with negative response. We discussed it as we started to turn final and thought maybe, being unfamiliar with the area, he was up on the published unicom frequency used by the air terminal. We tried this frequency on #2 radio while continuing to monitor advisories on #1 with no success. We had the traffic in sight as he maneuvered to the east of the airport. We continued our approach to runway 7 and landed. As we rolled out and began to turn off the runway we noted the other traffic was short final for runway 25. There wasn't really a conflict and we figured he was just unfamiliar with the area. After landing and securing our aircraft we were approached by one of the airport vehicles and the guy asked if we had seen the twin on final. We responded that we had and wondered why they weren't talking to anyone. He responded that he had heard the other traffic but not us. I think the main problem in this case wasn't the problem with #1 radio not transmitting over the advisory frequency. The problem was my assumption the other traffic was unfamiliar with the area and on the wrong frequency. Had I not fixated on that I might have recycled my #1 radio or tried #2 when I didn't get any response to my first couple of calls. I fixated because #1 had worked on approach frequency and as we were completing our approachs we heard ATC dealing with literally dozens of calls where the pilots were unfamiliar with the area. I think the way to avoid this type scenario is to constantly reevaluate the situation and ask yourself 'am I doing something wrong' before assuming the other person is in the wrong.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RADIO PROBLEM ON ENTRY TO UNCTLED ARPT. LAND WITHOUT COM, OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC.

Narrative: AS WE WERE GIVEN FREQ CHANGE TO ADVISORY FREQ N LAS VEGAS, APCH INFORMED US THERE WAS TFC INBOUND FROM THE NE TO N LAS VEGAS. I ACKNOWLEDGED SAYING I HAD TFC IN SIGHT. I THEN CHANGED THE #1 RADIO, WHICH I HAD BEEN USING FOR APCH, OVER TO THE ADVISORY FREQ 125.70. AS WE APCHED THE VALLEY BANK I CALLED AN EXTENDED R BASE FOR RWY 7 (THE NORMAL PROC). AS WE GOT CLOSER WE KEPT THE OTHER TFC IN SIGHT AND IT APPEARED TO BE MANEUVERING OVER THE ARPT TO GET ORIENTED, WE DIDN'T HEAR ANY TFC AND THOUGHT HE WAS PROBABLY UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA (THE AOPA CONVENTION WAS IN TOWN) SO WE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT HIM WITH NEGATIVE RESPONSE. WE DISCUSSED IT AS WE STARTED TO TURN FINAL AND THOUGHT MAYBE, BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, HE WAS UP ON THE PUBLISHED UNICOM FREQ USED BY THE AIR TERMINAL. WE TRIED THIS FREQ ON #2 RADIO WHILE CONTINUING TO MONITOR ADVISORIES ON #1 WITH NO SUCCESS. WE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT AS HE MANEUVERED TO THE E OF THE ARPT. WE CONTINUED OUR APCH TO RWY 7 AND LANDED. AS WE ROLLED OUT AND BEGAN TO TURN OFF THE RWY WE NOTED THE OTHER TFC WAS SHORT FINAL FOR RWY 25. THERE WASN'T REALLY A CONFLICT AND WE FIGURED HE WAS JUST UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. AFTER LNDG AND SECURING OUR ACFT WE WERE APCHED BY ONE OF THE ARPT VEHICLES AND THE GUY ASKED IF WE HAD SEEN THE TWIN ON FINAL. WE RESPONDED THAT WE HAD AND WONDERED WHY THEY WEREN'T TALKING TO ANYONE. HE RESPONDED THAT HE HAD HEARD THE OTHER TFC BUT NOT US. I THINK THE MAIN PROBLEM IN THIS CASE WASN'T THE PROBLEM WITH #1 RADIO NOT XMITTING OVER THE ADVISORY FREQ. THE PROBLEM WAS MY ASSUMPTION THE OTHER TFC WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AND ON THE WRONG FREQ. HAD I NOT FIXATED ON THAT I MIGHT HAVE RECYCLED MY #1 RADIO OR TRIED #2 WHEN I DIDN'T GET ANY RESPONSE TO MY FIRST COUPLE OF CALLS. I FIXATED BECAUSE #1 HAD WORKED ON APCH FREQ AND AS WE WERE COMPLETING OUR APCHS WE HEARD ATC DEALING WITH LITERALLY DOZENS OF CALLS WHERE THE PLTS WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. I THINK THE WAY TO AVOID THIS TYPE SCENARIO IS TO CONSTANTLY REEVALUATE THE SITUATION AND ASK YOURSELF 'AM I DOING SOMETHING WRONG' BEFORE ASSUMING THE OTHER PERSON IS IN THE WRONG.

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.