Narrative:

I received clearance from ATC to takeoff on runway 25 at sba for the purpose of practicing touch and go's. I acknowledged clearance to takeoff and instructions to make right closed traffic, runway 25. On downwind I received ATC clearance to land with the option on runway 25. I acknowledged the clearance for the touch and go, and made the landing, takeoff and rejoined the pattern. It appears that the microphone button stuck in the keyed position during my acknowledgement of the clearance for the touch and go. This was the point of my error in judgement. I was unaware that the tower was attempting to contact me and was unable to do so. I am near the point of taking the chkride for the private pilot certificate and was concentrating too hard on perfecting my techniques, specifically, 'short field lndgs.' even though, in hindsight, the radio was obviously too quiet, I wasn't thinking about the continuing need for clearance to land. I did continuously scan the area for traffic and, seeing none, I made, I believe, 3 more touch and go's without have received ATC clearance. The next time I was on right downwind for runway 25 I decided to inform the tower that I would be making 'long landing,' meaning I intended to begin practicing 'soft field landing' technique. The act of pushing the microphone button caused it to become unstuck, and it was at that time the controller informed me that my microphone had been stuck in the keyed position. He then instructed me to make a full stop landing. I acknowledged his instructions and landed and taxied clear of the active runway 25. The controller then gave me a telephone number for the tower and told me to call it as soon as I had secured my plane. I acknowledged his instructions, contacted ground control, and was given clearance to taxi to parking. Once had the plane secured, I proceeded to the nearest telephone to call the number I was given by the tower controller. In speaking with a controller via the telephone, I explained what had happened and answered his questions. One question he asked was whether I had seen the light signals directed toward me from the tower. I said I had not seen them (another error on my part), but that was probably because my first error in judgement caused me not to realize I had a communication problem to begin with.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA CLRED FOR TOUCH AND GO HAS A STUCK MIKE AND MAKES 3 MORE TOUCH AND GO'S WITHOUT TWR CLRNC.

Narrative: I RECEIVED CLRNC FROM ATC TO TKOF ON RWY 25 AT SBA FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO'S. I ACKNOWLEDGED CLRNC TO TKOF AND INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE R CLOSED TFC, RWY 25. ON DOWNWIND I RECEIVED ATC CLRNC TO LAND WITH THE OPTION ON RWY 25. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC FOR THE TOUCH AND GO, AND MADE THE LNDG, TKOF AND REJOINED THE PATTERN. IT APPEARS THAT THE MIKE BUTTON STUCK IN THE KEYED POS DURING MY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE CLRNC FOR THE TOUCH AND GO. THIS WAS THE POINT OF MY ERROR IN JUDGEMENT. I WAS UNAWARE THAT THE TWR WAS ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT ME AND WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. I AM NEAR THE POINT OF TAKING THE CHKRIDE FOR THE PVT PLT CERTIFICATE AND WAS CONCENTRATING TOO HARD ON PERFECTING MY TECHNIQUES, SPECIFICALLY, 'SHORT FIELD LNDGS.' EVEN THOUGH, IN HINDSIGHT, THE RADIO WAS OBVIOUSLY TOO QUIET, I WASN'T THINKING ABOUT THE CONTINUING NEED FOR CLRNC TO LAND. I DID CONTINUOUSLY SCAN THE AREA FOR TFC AND, SEEING NONE, I MADE, I BELIEVE, 3 MORE TOUCH AND GO'S WITHOUT HAVE RECEIVED ATC CLRNC. THE NEXT TIME I WAS ON R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 25 I DECIDED TO INFORM THE TWR THAT I WOULD BE MAKING 'LONG LNDG,' MEANING I INTENDED TO BEGIN PRACTICING 'SOFT FIELD LNDG' TECHNIQUE. THE ACT OF PUSHING THE MIKE BUTTON CAUSED IT TO BECOME UNSTUCK, AND IT WAS AT THAT TIME THE CTLR INFORMED ME THAT MY MIKE HAD BEEN STUCK IN THE KEYED POS. HE THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO MAKE A FULL STOP LNDG. I ACKNOWLEDGED HIS INSTRUCTIONS AND LANDED AND TAXIED CLR OF THE ACTIVE RWY 25. THE CTLR THEN GAVE ME A TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR THE TWR AND TOLD ME TO CALL IT AS SOON AS I HAD SECURED MY PLANE. I ACKNOWLEDGED HIS INSTRUCTIONS, CONTACTED GND CTL, AND WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO TAXI TO PARKING. ONCE HAD THE PLANE SECURED, I PROCEEDED TO THE NEAREST TELEPHONE TO CALL THE NUMBER I WAS GIVEN BY THE TWR CTLR. IN SPEAKING WITH A CTLR VIA THE TELEPHONE, I EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND ANSWERED HIS QUESTIONS. ONE QUESTION HE ASKED WAS WHETHER I HAD SEEN THE LIGHT SIGNALS DIRECTED TOWARD ME FROM THE TWR. I SAID I HAD NOT SEEN THEM (ANOTHER ERROR ON MY PART), BUT THAT WAS PROBABLY BECAUSE MY FIRST ERROR IN JUDGEMENT CAUSED ME NOT TO REALIZE I HAD A COM PROB TO BEGIN WITH.

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.