Narrative:

Traffic was heavy. Pilot was very low 'time in type.' approach control turned us over to tower with instructions to call 'right base.' (not sure, it might have been tower that said that on pilot's initial call up.) I had been talking to center and approach, but pilot took over radio and I assumed he heard instruction to call 'base.' I did not notice his failure to call 'base' probably because he was now operating the radio. Pilot saw slower traffic ahead and executed safe go around. Pilot did not recall being told to report right base. I 'let down my guard' when pilot took over the radio. If we had continued flying as a 2 'crew' team, I think I would have remembered to make the call. I suspect that he wanted to operate the radio because in a few days he would be flying as a single pilot. In my opinion, I should have 1) asked him if he heard the request to report right base instead of assuming that he heard it, and 2) I should have noticed his failure to report base. I certainly plan to do those things in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP PLT MAKES GAR AS HE SIGHTS SMA ON FINAL.

Narrative: TFC WAS HVY. PLT WAS VERY LOW 'TIME IN TYPE.' APCH CTL TURNED US OVER TO TWR WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO CALL 'RIGHT BASE.' (NOT SURE, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN TWR THAT SAID THAT ON PLT'S INITIAL CALL UP.) I HAD BEEN TALKING TO CTR AND APCH, BUT PLT TOOK OVER RADIO AND I ASSUMED HE HEARD INSTRUCTION TO CALL 'BASE.' I DID NOT NOTICE HIS FAILURE TO CALL 'BASE' PROBABLY BECAUSE HE WAS NOW OPERATING THE RADIO. PLT SAW SLOWER TFC AHEAD AND EXECUTED SAFE GAR. PLT DID NOT RECALL BEING TOLD TO RPT R BASE. I 'LET DOWN MY GUARD' WHEN PLT TOOK OVER THE RADIO. IF WE HAD CONTINUED FLYING AS A 2 'CREW' TEAM, I THINK I WOULD HAVE REMEMBERED TO MAKE THE CALL. I SUSPECT THAT HE WANTED TO OPERATE THE RADIO BECAUSE IN A FEW DAYS HE WOULD BE FLYING AS A SINGLE PLT. IN MY OPINION, I SHOULD HAVE 1) ASKED HIM IF HE HEARD THE REQUEST TO RPT R BASE INSTEAD OF ASSUMING THAT HE HEARD IT, AND 2) I SHOULD HAVE NOTICED HIS FAILURE TO RPT BASE. I CERTAINLY PLAN TO DO THOSE THINGS IN THE FUTURE.

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.