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Flight crew of B727 on vector to ILS approach trying to keep ahead tunes in tower frequency but actually has ground frequency. Realizing the error they switch back to center frequency instead of approach. Finally tuning the right frequency as they fly through the localizer approach. Approach controller welcomes them back and vectors back on course.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 363880 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199703 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : mdw |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : ord |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | other : unknown |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11700 flight time type : 4800 |
| ASRS Report | 363880 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were being vectored by chicago approach for an ILS in VMC for runway 4 at mdw. First officer was flying. We were at 4000 ft on 280 degree heading. Attempting to stay ahead I set mdw tower frequency in the radio that had approach frequency set on it. I heard a transmission from an aircraft on the ground at mdw and realized that we were on the wrong frequency. Thinking that I had accidentally hit the switch to the other radio I switched it back. This put us on ZAU who we had been talking to before approach. We realized my mistake as we flew through the runway 4 localizer and saw other traffic turning out of our way. The first officer remembered the approach frequency, which I quickly tuned in and checked on. The controller welcomed us back and turned us for the approach to mdw. The first officer and I had both woke up early that morning. By this time I was having a great deal of trouble staying awake. It was not a really hard day (mke- rsw-mdw) but just one of those days when you're just not completely up to speed. In sits like this it would seem as if the small mistakes are the ones that slip by unnoticed.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF B727 ON VECTOR TO ILS APCH TRYING TO KEEP AHEAD TUNES IN TWR FREQ BUT ACTUALLY HAS GND FREQ. REALIZING THE ERROR THEY SWITCH BACK TO CTR FREQ INSTEAD OF APCH. FINALLY TUNING THE RIGHT FREQ AS THEY FLY THROUGH THE LOC APCH. APCH CTLR WELCOMES THEM BACK AND VECTORS BACK ON COURSE.
Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED BY CHICAGO APCH FOR AN ILS IN VMC FOR RWY 4 AT MDW. FO WAS FLYING. WE WERE AT 4000 FT ON 280 DEG HDG. ATTEMPTING TO STAY AHEAD I SET MDW TWR FREQ IN THE RADIO THAT HAD APCH FREQ SET ON IT. I HEARD A XMISSION FROM AN ACFT ON THE GND AT MDW AND REALIZED THAT WE WERE ON THE WRONG FREQ. THINKING THAT I HAD ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE SWITCH TO THE OTHER RADIO I SWITCHED IT BACK. THIS PUT US ON ZAU WHO WE HAD BEEN TALKING TO BEFORE APCH. WE REALIZED MY MISTAKE AS WE FLEW THROUGH THE RWY 4 LOC AND SAW OTHER TFC TURNING OUT OF OUR WAY. THE FO REMEMBERED THE APCH FREQ, WHICH I QUICKLY TUNED IN AND CHKED ON. THE CTLR WELCOMED US BACK AND TURNED US FOR THE APCH TO MDW. THE FO AND I HAD BOTH WOKE UP EARLY THAT MORNING. BY THIS TIME I WAS HAVING A GREAT DEAL OF TROUBLE STAYING AWAKE. IT WAS NOT A REALLY HARD DAY (MKE- RSW-MDW) BUT JUST ONE OF THOSE DAYS WHEN YOU'RE JUST NOT COMPLETELY UP TO SPD. IN SITS LIKE THIS IT WOULD SEEM AS IF THE SMALL MISTAKES ARE THE ONES THAT SLIP BY UNNOTICED.
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.