Narrative:

At scott AFB, il (blv) during pre-taxi phase in a C172, aircraft X, I tuned the #1 radio to 119.2 and called ground control (ground control). After no response I checked the audio panel switches, intercom and volumes, headset and push to talk jack connections. After making several more attempts to contact ground control I went to the part time tower frequency 128.25, and was instructed to go to 118.65, the active tower frequency. I asked tower what frequency they were using for ground control and was told 'the usual one.' I expected to hear, 'contact ground control on 119.2.' this nonstandard response sounded like a student tower operator. Previously, at monthly safety meetings, scott tower supervisors briefed they have students operating the tower. I made another attempt on 119.2 and as soon as I released the push to talk button I was receiving a weak and distorted transmission, instructing 'aircraft X taxi into position to runway 32L.' I read back what I thought I had heard and started to taxi. I did not hear anything from ground control or tower until I contacted them after lining up on runway 32L for takeoff clearance. While taxiing I looked several times at the tower, as it is in line of sight while taxiing. After passing the ILS critical hold short line where the taxiway turns away from the tower I scanned the traffic pattern and base leg for aircraft, there were none. I then proceeded to line up on the runway 32L centerline and held. Once stopped, I performed before takeoff checks and attempted twice to notify the tower I was ready for takeoff and requested a straight out departure. After a prolonged pause tower came back and directed me to taxi off the runway to an adjacent taxiway. At this time I believed either my #1 radio was operating intermittently or the tower radio was having problems. I then switched to the #2 radio and heard tower in the middle of a transmission instructing me to taxi past the hold short line. I believe the communication system needs to be thoroughly checked on this airplane. Several mins later, the tower cleared me for takeoff and asked who gave me permission to taxi in position and hold. I responded, 'you did.' a few seconds after that tower responded no sir! Contributing factors: pilot did not challenge nonstandard phraseology. Tower did not communicate or use the light-gun when observing the aircraft cross the hold short line and line-up on the runway and only communicated when I contacted it for permission to take off.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE COMBINATION OF A MALFUNCTIONING RADIO AND POSSIBLE CTLR TRAINING IN PROGRESS MAY HAVE LED TO A RWY INCURSION.

Narrative: AT SCOTT AFB, IL (BLV) DURING PRE-TAXI PHASE IN A C172, ACFT X, I TUNED THE #1 RADIO TO 119.2 AND CALLED GND CTL (GC). AFTER NO RESPONSE I CHKED THE AUDIO PANEL SWITCHES, INTERCOM AND VOLUMES, HEADSET AND PUSH TO TALK JACK CONNECTIONS. AFTER MAKING SEVERAL MORE ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT GC I WENT TO THE PART TIME TWR FREQ 128.25, AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO GO TO 118.65, THE ACTIVE TWR FREQ. I ASKED TWR WHAT FREQ THEY WERE USING FOR GC AND WAS TOLD 'THE USUAL ONE.' I EXPECTED TO HEAR, 'CONTACT GC ON 119.2.' THIS NONSTANDARD RESPONSE SOUNDED LIKE A STUDENT TWR OPERATOR. PREVIOUSLY, AT MONTHLY SAFETY MEETINGS, SCOTT TWR SUPVRS BRIEFED THEY HAVE STUDENTS OPERATING THE TWR. I MADE ANOTHER ATTEMPT ON 119.2 AND AS SOON AS I RELEASED THE PUSH TO TALK BUTTON I WAS RECEIVING A WEAK AND DISTORTED XMISSION, INSTRUCTING 'ACFT X TAXI INTO POS TO RWY 32L.' I READ BACK WHAT I THOUGHT I HAD HEARD AND STARTED TO TAXI. I DID NOT HEAR ANYTHING FROM GC OR TWR UNTIL I CONTACTED THEM AFTER LINING UP ON RWY 32L FOR TKOF CLRNC. WHILE TAXIING I LOOKED SEVERAL TIMES AT THE TWR, AS IT IS IN LINE OF SIGHT WHILE TAXIING. AFTER PASSING THE ILS CRITICAL HOLD SHORT LINE WHERE THE TXWY TURNS AWAY FROM THE TWR I SCANNED THE TFC PATTERN AND BASE LEG FOR ACFT, THERE WERE NONE. I THEN PROCEEDED TO LINE UP ON THE RWY 32L CENTERLINE AND HELD. ONCE STOPPED, I PERFORMED BEFORE TKOF CHKS AND ATTEMPTED TWICE TO NOTIFY THE TWR I WAS READY FOR TKOF AND REQUESTED A STRAIGHT OUT DEP. AFTER A PROLONGED PAUSE TWR CAME BACK AND DIRECTED ME TO TAXI OFF THE RWY TO AN ADJACENT TXWY. AT THIS TIME I BELIEVED EITHER MY #1 RADIO WAS OPERATING INTERMITTENTLY OR THE TWR RADIO WAS HAVING PROBS. I THEN SWITCHED TO THE #2 RADIO AND HEARD TWR IN THE MIDDLE OF A XMISSION INSTRUCTING ME TO TAXI PAST THE HOLD SHORT LINE. I BELIEVE THE COM SYS NEEDS TO BE THOROUGHLY CHECKED ON THIS AIRPLANE. SEVERAL MINS LATER, THE TWR CLRED ME FOR TKOF AND ASKED WHO GAVE ME PERMISSION TO TAXI IN POS AND HOLD. I RESPONDED, 'YOU DID.' A FEW SECS AFTER THAT TWR RESPONDED NO SIR! CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: PLT DID NOT CHALLENGE NONSTANDARD PHRASEOLOGY. TWR DID NOT COMMUNICATE OR USE THE LIGHT-GUN WHEN OBSERVING THE ACFT CROSS THE HOLD SHORT LINE AND LINE-UP ON THE RWY AND ONLY COMMUNICATED WHEN I CONTACTED IT FOR PERMISSION TO TAKE OFF.

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.