Narrative:

On final approach to runway 16R at sea-tac airport: at some point inside the OM, after being cleared to land on runway 16R, I tuned ground control into the right head of the #1 communication radio (to facilitate the switchover after landing). The problem arose when, by this action, I tuned out the tower frequency of 119.9 MHZ. Possible causal factors: I had just come off of 2 yrs on the widebody transport as copilot. The communication radios in that aircraft are tuned in a different manner than on the medium large transport, i.e., pre- tuning is done in the right window, then transferred into the left window for use. The medium large transport radio panel is not very user- friendly due to the cockpit size and design, i.e., the #1 communication radio is about half visible from the captain's seat (obscured by arm rest) causing the captain to have to lean to the right to see the entire radio panel. The window selector indicator lights are not visible in bright sunlight, and the window selector switch is not readily noticeable without the white rubber switch cover installed. The basic problem, however, lies in trying to do too many things at once and not giving one's full attention to any of them. As a result of the above mistake, we landed without having the tower tuned. After taking the highspd turnoff and stopping at the hold short line for runway 16L, we discovered my mistake when ground controller called and told us to return to tower frequency. I was subsequently advised, via phone, that we had caused an aircraft that had been cleared for takeoff on 16L to have his takeoff clearance cancelled because of our no-communication status. The possible ramifications of this kind of mistake are frightening, to say the least. I feel that it is necessary to emphasize the need to be aware of the idiosyncrasies of different aircraft radio tuning panels, particularly until one's current aircraft operation becomes second nature. Extra diligence to detail never goes unrewarded in our business -- we stay alive longer!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PIC'S RADIO TUNING TECHNIQUES GETS HIM A LOSS OF COM FREQ ON SHORT FINAL.

Narrative: ON FINAL APCH TO RWY 16R AT SEA-TAC ARPT: AT SOME POINT INSIDE THE OM, AFTER BEING CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 16R, I TUNED GND CTL INTO THE R HEAD OF THE #1 COM RADIO (TO FACILITATE THE SWITCHOVER AFTER LNDG). THE PROB AROSE WHEN, BY THIS ACTION, I TUNED OUT THE TWR FREQ OF 119.9 MHZ. POSSIBLE CAUSAL FACTORS: I HAD JUST COME OFF OF 2 YRS ON THE WDB AS COPLT. THE COM RADIOS IN THAT ACFT ARE TUNED IN A DIFFERENT MANNER THAN ON THE MLG, I.E., PRE- TUNING IS DONE IN THE R WINDOW, THEN TRANSFERRED INTO THE L WINDOW FOR USE. THE MLG RADIO PANEL IS NOT VERY USER- FRIENDLY DUE TO THE COCKPIT SIZE AND DESIGN, I.E., THE #1 COM RADIO IS ABOUT HALF VISIBLE FROM THE CAPT'S SEAT (OBSCURED BY ARM REST) CAUSING THE CAPT TO HAVE TO LEAN TO THE R TO SEE THE ENTIRE RADIO PANEL. THE WINDOW SELECTOR INDICATOR LIGHTS ARE NOT VISIBLE IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT, AND THE WINDOW SELECTOR SWITCH IS NOT READILY NOTICEABLE WITHOUT THE WHITE RUBBER SWITCH COVER INSTALLED. THE BASIC PROB, HOWEVER, LIES IN TRYING TO DO TOO MANY THINGS AT ONCE AND NOT GIVING ONE'S FULL ATTN TO ANY OF THEM. AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE MISTAKE, WE LANDED WITHOUT HAVING THE TWR TUNED. AFTER TAKING THE HIGHSPD TURNOFF AND STOPPING AT THE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 16L, WE DISCOVERED MY MISTAKE WHEN GND CTLR CALLED AND TOLD US TO RETURN TO TWR FREQ. I WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ADVISED, VIA PHONE, THAT WE HAD CAUSED AN ACFT THAT HAD BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF ON 16L TO HAVE HIS TKOF CLRNC CANCELLED BECAUSE OF OUR NO-COM STATUS. THE POSSIBLE RAMIFICATIONS OF THIS KIND OF MISTAKE ARE FRIGHTENING, TO SAY THE LEAST. I FEEL THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO EMPHASIZE THE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE IDIOSYNCRASIES OF DIFFERENT ACFT RADIO TUNING PANELS, PARTICULARLY UNTIL ONE'S CURRENT ACFT OP BECOMES SECOND NATURE. EXTRA DILIGENCE TO DETAIL NEVER GOES UNREWARDED IN OUR BUSINESS -- WE STAY ALIVE LONGER!

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.