BE36 student descends from assigned altitude and changes frequency from O90 to sql tower without cle...

Attributes
ACN	500560
Time
Date	200101
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sql.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon tower : sql.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Bonanza 36
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 295 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	500560
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Was cleared by bay approach for the visual approach into sql. I started my descent from last assigned altitude and switched frequencys to san carlos tower. After contacting the tower, the tower told me that bay had called to 'thank you for saying good-bye.' apparently, approach had not instructed me to change frequencys. My instructor was with me and had asked whether we had been handed off just after I switched frequencys, and I was pretty sure I had. I guess this is a matter of 2 things: 1) hearing what you expect to hear, and 2) lack of familiarity with visual approachs as an IFR procedure. Once cleared for visual, I mentally changed into VFR mode, and I was at the place where I would normally contact the tower. IFR training emphasizes the instrument approachs. We only talked about visual and contact approachs. Never did them until I was out there with my IFR ticket. They are tricky.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE36 STUDENT DSNDS FROM ASSIGNED ALT AND CHANGES FREQ FROM O90 TO SQL TWR WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: WAS CLRED BY BAY APCH FOR THE VISUAL APCH INTO SQL. I STARTED MY DSCNT FROM LAST ASSIGNED ALT AND SWITCHED FREQS TO SAN CARLOS TWR. AFTER CONTACTING THE TWR, THE TWR TOLD ME THAT BAY HAD CALLED TO 'THANK YOU FOR SAYING GOOD-BYE.' APPARENTLY, APCH HAD NOT INSTRUCTED ME TO CHANGE FREQS. MY INSTRUCTOR WAS WITH ME AND HAD ASKED WHETHER WE HAD BEEN HANDED OFF JUST AFTER I SWITCHED FREQS, AND I WAS PRETTY SURE I HAD. I GUESS THIS IS A MATTER OF 2 THINGS: 1) HEARING WHAT YOU EXPECT TO HEAR, AND 2) LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH VISUAL APCHS AS AN IFR PROC. ONCE CLRED FOR VISUAL, I MENTALLY CHANGED INTO VFR MODE, AND I WAS AT THE PLACE WHERE I WOULD NORMALLY CONTACT THE TWR. IFR TRAINING EMPHASIZES THE INST APCHS. WE ONLY TALKED ABOUT VISUAL AND CONTACT APCHS. NEVER DID THEM UNTIL I WAS OUT THERE WITH MY IFR TICKET. THEY ARE TRICKY.

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.

BE36 student descends from assigned altitude and changes frequency from O90 to sql tower without clearance.