Narrative:

ATC communication. We mistakenly switched to tower frequency about 2 or 3 mi prior to ridge. On contacting tower at ridge, were told to return to approach frequency. Approach had insisted tower send us back. Tower didn't know why approach told us to keep our speed up and never switch early again. We were doing our best forward speed and I feel strongly that approach had us switch back just to make a point. The result was that at 1000 ft we were talking to him, expecting a go around, instead of completing our checklist, talking to tower and preparing to land. Now I admit our error readily but object strenuously to the way this was handled. Would have just liked to have made a phone call, but couldn't find the number before we left. Supplemental information from acn 429717: on runway 22R ILS final, on approach control, heard approach say 'you have 5 mi in trail, we'll see you later.' assumed it was us. Checking in with tower at 5.2 mi, tower said to change back to approach. We did, and approach said, 'never switch before the marker, keep your speed up, you have someone on your butt.' we had kept 210 KTS till we couldn't any more. Thought the whole thing was a little abnormal. If we were mistaken in switching frequency early, so be it -- we misunderstood. The resulting switching back and forth between tower and approach and back shouldn't have happened at that late point in the approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW REPLIED TO A WRONG CALL SIGN AND CHANGED FREQS ABOUT 2 MI EARLY.

Narrative: ATC COM. WE MISTAKENLY SWITCHED TO TWR FREQ ABOUT 2 OR 3 MI PRIOR TO RIDGE. ON CONTACTING TWR AT RIDGE, WERE TOLD TO RETURN TO APCH FREQ. APCH HAD INSISTED TWR SEND US BACK. TWR DIDN'T KNOW WHY APCH TOLD US TO KEEP OUR SPD UP AND NEVER SWITCH EARLY AGAIN. WE WERE DOING OUR BEST FORWARD SPD AND I FEEL STRONGLY THAT APCH HAD US SWITCH BACK JUST TO MAKE A POINT. THE RESULT WAS THAT AT 1000 FT WE WERE TALKING TO HIM, EXPECTING A GAR, INSTEAD OF COMPLETING OUR CHKLIST, TALKING TO TWR AND PREPARING TO LAND. NOW I ADMIT OUR ERROR READILY BUT OBJECT STRENUOUSLY TO THE WAY THIS WAS HANDLED. WOULD HAVE JUST LIKED TO HAVE MADE A PHONE CALL, BUT COULDN'T FIND THE NUMBER BEFORE WE LEFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 429717: ON RWY 22R ILS FINAL, ON APCH CTL, HEARD APCH SAY 'YOU HAVE 5 MI IN TRAIL, WE'LL SEE YOU LATER.' ASSUMED IT WAS US. CHKING IN WITH TWR AT 5.2 MI, TWR SAID TO CHANGE BACK TO APCH. WE DID, AND APCH SAID, 'NEVER SWITCH BEFORE THE MARKER, KEEP YOUR SPD UP, YOU HAVE SOMEONE ON YOUR BUTT.' WE HAD KEPT 210 KTS TILL WE COULDN'T ANY MORE. THOUGHT THE WHOLE THING WAS A LITTLE ABNORMAL. IF WE WERE MISTAKEN IN SWITCHING FREQ EARLY, SO BE IT -- WE MISUNDERSTOOD. THE RESULTING SWITCHING BACK AND FORTH BTWN TWR AND APCH AND BACK SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED AT THAT LATE POINT IN THE APCH.

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.