C210 private instrument rated, while IMC, mistakenly tunes in the wrong tower frequency when turned over from approach control to tower thus losing contact with ATC until realizing his error and retuning his radio.

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Attributes
ACN	546026
Time
Date	200205
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon tower : sjc.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C, 210D
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument non precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 740 flight time type : 525
ASRS Report	546026
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On vectors to the VOR 12 into sjc, I fell behind the aircraft, descending less rapidly than appropriate. Received a valid instruction (intercept the sjc 303 inches) in unexpected terms and incorrectly reset HSI obs from 123 to 303. Realized that was wrong as I received instruction to contact tower. Dialed in 124.1 instead of 124.0. Got no response and fell farther behind the procedure. Broke out at about 700 ft directly above the field, still not in contact. Noticed incorrect frequency, contacted tower and received clearance to circle back to land. After landing, discussed events with tower by telephone and agreed I needed to review NORDO, missed approach and related procedures to avoid a recurrence. I should have initiated a miss at missed approach altitude and I should have returned to bay approach very soon after hearing no response from control tower. Reaching for the radio FLIP-flop switch would have caused me to notice the erroneous frequency sooner, as it eventually did over the field. A missed approach is a good idea when so far behind the plane, procedure and instructions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C210 PVT INST RATED, WHILE IMC, MISTAKENLY TUNES IN THE WRONG TWR FREQ WHEN TURNED OVER FROM APCH CTL TO TWR THUS LOSING CONTACT WITH ATC UNTIL REALIZING HIS ERROR AND RETUNING HIS RADIO.

Narrative: ON VECTORS TO THE VOR 12 INTO SJC, I FELL BEHIND THE ACFT, DSNDING LESS RAPIDLY THAN APPROPRIATE. RECEIVED A VALID INSTRUCTION (INTERCEPT THE SJC 303 INCHES) IN UNEXPECTED TERMS AND INCORRECTLY RESET HSI OBS FROM 123 TO 303. REALIZED THAT WAS WRONG AS I RECEIVED INSTRUCTION TO CONTACT TWR. DIALED IN 124.1 INSTEAD OF 124.0. GOT NO RESPONSE AND FELL FARTHER BEHIND THE PROC. BROKE OUT AT ABOUT 700 FT DIRECTLY ABOVE THE FIELD, STILL NOT IN CONTACT. NOTICED INCORRECT FREQ, CONTACTED TWR AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO CIRCLE BACK TO LAND. AFTER LNDG, DISCUSSED EVENTS WITH TWR BY TELEPHONE AND AGREED I NEEDED TO REVIEW NORDO, MISSED APCH AND RELATED PROCS TO AVOID A RECURRENCE. I SHOULD HAVE INITIATED A MISS AT MISSED APCH ALT AND I SHOULD HAVE RETURNED TO BAY APCH VERY SOON AFTER HEARING NO RESPONSE FROM CTL TWR. REACHING FOR THE RADIO FLIP-FLOP SWITCH WOULD HAVE CAUSED ME TO NOTICE THE ERRONEOUS FREQ SOONER, AS IT EVENTUALLY DID OVER THE FIELD. A MISSED APCH IS A GOOD IDEA WHEN SO FAR BEHIND THE PLANE, PROC AND INSTRUCTIONS.

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.