Frequency congestion prevents a timely position report by arriving aircraft to the tower at the poin...

Attributes
ACN	530164
Time
Date	200111
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ryn.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl single value : 3400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : u90.tracon tower : ryn.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 877 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	530164
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	flight crew : second officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

While inbound to ryan airfield (ryn) from tus for touch-and-go lndgs, I received a handoff from tus departure and contacted ryn tower on 125.80. The ryn tower controller's instruction was to report 2 mi out on a 45 degree entry to right traffic, runway 6R, which I read back to him. Once I was 2 mi out, I hesitated to contact the tower to report my position due to the fact that the frequency was congested with multiple calls by the controller, who was trying to call traffic to an aircraft that wasn't responding. I continued inbound, waiting for a chance to break in and report, but the frequency was so congested that I was unable to report my position until I was entering the right downwind for runway 6R, abeam the departure end. The controller admonished me for not reporting at 2 mi, which I simply responded to with my n-number. There was no traffic conflict caused by my failure to report. Upon reflection, I should have held my position at 2 mi until I was able to break in with a position report, but I had not anticipated that it would be so difficult to get a report out on the congested frequency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FREQ CONGESTION PREVENTS A TIMELY POS RPT BY ARRIVING ACFT TO THE TWR AT THE POINT REQUESTED.

Narrative: WHILE INBOUND TO RYAN AIRFIELD (RYN) FROM TUS FOR TOUCH-AND-GO LNDGS, I RECEIVED A HDOF FROM TUS DEP AND CONTACTED RYN TWR ON 125.80. THE RYN TWR CTLR'S INSTRUCTION WAS TO RPT 2 MI OUT ON A 45 DEG ENTRY TO R TFC, RWY 6R, WHICH I READ BACK TO HIM. ONCE I WAS 2 MI OUT, I HESITATED TO CONTACT THE TWR TO RPT MY POS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE FREQ WAS CONGESTED WITH MULTIPLE CALLS BY THE CTLR, WHO WAS TRYING TO CALL TFC TO AN ACFT THAT WASN'T RESPONDING. I CONTINUED INBOUND, WAITING FOR A CHANCE TO BREAK IN AND RPT, BUT THE FREQ WAS SO CONGESTED THAT I WAS UNABLE TO RPT MY POS UNTIL I WAS ENTERING THE R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 6R, ABEAM THE DEP END. THE CTLR ADMONISHED ME FOR NOT RPTING AT 2 MI, WHICH I SIMPLY RESPONDED TO WITH MY N-NUMBER. THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT CAUSED BY MY FAILURE TO RPT. UPON REFLECTION, I SHOULD HAVE HELD MY POS AT 2 MI UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO BREAK IN WITH A POS RPT, BUT I HAD NOT ANTICIPATED THAT IT WOULD BE SO DIFFICULT TO GET A RPT OUT ON THE CONGESTED FREQ.

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.

Frequency congestion prevents a timely position report by arriving aircraft to the tower at the point requested.