Narrative:

I was flying on an IFR flight plan from gcm to fsm. Clouds were scattered to broken at 3000 ft. After descending me to 2200 ft; razorback approach asked me to report the field in sight. After calling the field; approach cleared me for a visual approach to runway 25 and instructed me to contact the tower. I entered tower frequency into my comrdo and pressed the switch frequency button. I reported 'cessna XXXX with you visual approach runway 25.' I thought I heard the response 'continue approach.' for some reason; I failed to read the instruction back. If I had; I would have avoided the situation and realized that what was actually said was 'on approach' meaning I was still on approach frequency. I entered downwind; turned base and as I was turning final became concerned that I had not been cleared to land. I asked what I thought was tower if I was cleared to land and was then told I should be on 118.3. I leveled off and changed frequency to hear the end of what sounded like the tower controller sending another aircraft around. Tower gave me landing clearance and I landed with no further problems. I could have avoided this situation had I read back what I thought was 'continue approach;' checked on my landing clearance sooner. I'll be sure to read back everything in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT FAILS TO CHANGE FROM APCH TO TWR FREQ; MISHEARS A CORRECTION FROM THE APCH CTLR AND CAUSES SEPARATION PROBS IN THE TFC PATTERN DUE TO LACK OF COM WITH TWR.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM GCM TO FSM. CLOUDS WERE SCATTERED TO BROKEN AT 3000 FT. AFTER DSNDING ME TO 2200 FT; RAZORBACK APCH ASKED ME TO RPT THE FIELD IN SIGHT. AFTER CALLING THE FIELD; APCH CLRED ME FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 25 AND INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT THE TWR. I ENTERED TWR FREQ INTO MY COMRDO AND PRESSED THE SWITCH FREQ BUTTON. I RPTED 'CESSNA XXXX WITH YOU VISUAL APCH RWY 25.' I THOUGHT I HEARD THE RESPONSE 'CONTINUE APCH.' FOR SOME REASON; I FAILED TO READ THE INSTRUCTION BACK. IF I HAD; I WOULD HAVE AVOIDED THE SITUATION AND REALIZED THAT WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID WAS 'ON APCH' MEANING I WAS STILL ON APCH FREQ. I ENTERED DOWNWIND; TURNED BASE AND AS I WAS TURNING FINAL BECAME CONCERNED THAT I HAD NOT BEEN CLRED TO LAND. I ASKED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS TWR IF I WAS CLRED TO LAND AND WAS THEN TOLD I SHOULD BE ON 118.3. I LEVELED OFF AND CHANGED FREQ TO HEAR THE END OF WHAT SOUNDED LIKE THE TWR CTLR SENDING ANOTHER ACFT AROUND. TWR GAVE ME LNDG CLRNC AND I LANDED WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. I COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS SITUATION HAD I READ BACK WHAT I THOUGHT WAS 'CONTINUE APCH;' CHKED ON MY LNDG CLRNC SOONER. I'LL BE SURE TO READ BACK EVERYTHING IN THE FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.