A B737-700 flight crew experiences a temporary loss of communication frequency with approach controller when inadvertently switching to local controller 12 mi east of pdx, or.

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Attributes
ACN	518673
Time
Date	200107
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pdx.airport
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : p80.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer only : 28r other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	518673
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer instruction : trainee
ASRS Report	518676
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Environmental Factor Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On vector heading base leg to ILS runway 28R, in IMC and communicating with approach controller on frequency 124.35. I (captain and check airman) attempted to preselect the tower frequency 123.77 into the unused side of the communication #1 panel and inadvertently tuned-over the active approach frequency. I realized my error after about 1 min and returned to approach frequency immediately, checking in as we crossed through the localizer. The controller gave us a heading 'right turn 310 degrees to intercept the runway 28R localizer and cleared for the approach.' no conflicts with other traffic were noted and approach controller handed us off to tower. I missed my intercept heading and clearance because of this mistake. Contributing factors: day 5 of duty. XA00 wake-up after 6 hours sleep. Training the PF (first officer) on the first leg of his first operating experience trip as a first officer. On this type aircraft at this airline, high workload. We planned ILS runway 28R before top of descent, approach changed it to ILS runway 28L at 11000 ft, so we reprogrammed the FMC, and approach control then changed our approach back to ILS runway 28R when we were at 3000 ft on base leg -- high workload again. I tried to reduce workload by preselecting tower frequency but I ended up compromising safety and doubling my workload. Never again!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-700 FLC EXPERIENCES A TEMPORARY LOSS OF COM FREQ WITH APCH CTLR WHEN INADVERTENTLY SWITCHING TO LCL CTLR 12 MI E OF PDX, OR.

Narrative: ON VECTOR HDG BASE LEG TO ILS RWY 28R, IN IMC AND COMMUNICATING WITH APCH CTLR ON FREQ 124.35. I (CAPT AND CHK AIRMAN) ATTEMPTED TO PRESELECT THE TWR FREQ 123.77 INTO THE UNUSED SIDE OF THE COM #1 PANEL AND INADVERTENTLY TUNED-OVER THE ACTIVE APCH FREQ. I REALIZED MY ERROR AFTER ABOUT 1 MIN AND RETURNED TO APCH FREQ IMMEDIATELY, CHKING IN AS WE CROSSED THROUGH THE LOC. THE CTLR GAVE US A HDG 'R TURN 310 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE RWY 28R LOC AND CLRED FOR THE APCH.' NO CONFLICTS WITH OTHER TFC WERE NOTED AND APCH CTLR HANDED US OFF TO TWR. I MISSED MY INTERCEPT HDG AND CLRNC BECAUSE OF THIS MISTAKE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: DAY 5 OF DUTY. XA00 WAKE-UP AFTER 6 HRS SLEEP. TRAINING THE PF (FO) ON THE FIRST LEG OF HIS FIRST OPERATING EXPERIENCE TRIP AS A FO. ON THIS TYPE ACFT AT THIS AIRLINE, HIGH WORKLOAD. WE PLANNED ILS RWY 28R BEFORE TOP OF DSCNT, APCH CHANGED IT TO ILS RWY 28L AT 11000 FT, SO WE REPROGRAMMED THE FMC, AND APCH CTL THEN CHANGED OUR APCH BACK TO ILS RWY 28R WHEN WE WERE AT 3000 FT ON BASE LEG -- HIGH WORKLOAD AGAIN. I TRIED TO REDUCE WORKLOAD BY PRESELECTING TWR FREQ BUT I ENDED UP COMPROMISING SAFETY AND DOUBLING MY WORKLOAD. NEVER AGAIN!

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.