2025-10 · NASA ASRS report 2292907
General aviation flight crew reported being unable to contact APC Tower at the FAF for ILS Runway 1.
While on a VFR flight following with Oakland Center; I was conducting a practice ILS Runway 1L approach into APC with the published missed approach procedure. Oakland Center cleared me for the approach and instructed me to contact APC Tower before the Final Approach Fix. I switched frequencies as instructed; but upon calling APC Tower multiple times; I did not receive any response.I verified that my radios were set up correctly; the correct frequency was entered; and the volume was properly adjusted. I continued to hear Oakland Center clearly prior to the handoff; so I suspected a frequency coverage at APC.I did not turn away because of traffic in the vicinity.After multiple unsuccessful attempts to contact APC Tower; I switched back to Oakland Center and advised that I was not receiving any response from the Tower. I initiated a climb out of the APC airspace right away to 2;500 feet while maintaining VFR conditions.I returned to APC and landed. Upon arrival; I informed APC Tower personnel of the communication issue.I learned to make better communications prior to entering Class D airspace.
On Day 0; I went on a recreational flight with two other instrument-rated pilots. These pilots had been looking for a third pilot to share the cost of a flight that they had planned to take to ZZZ. The day prior; we were on a call where the organizer briefed us on the route that we were to take; and we agreed to each pay our pro-rata share of the flight. This was not an instructional flight; and I was not acting as an instructor nor pilot in command (PIC) for this flight; because I am not a member of the club where the plane was rented; and club policy forbids non-members from acting as PIC or providing instruction in club planes. Furthermore; before the flight commenced; it was agreed among all pilots that it was not an instructional flight.We departed from ZZZ1. Along the route; the PIC decided to do a practice approach ILS Z 01L into APC. He was performing the duty of PIC; I was the safety pilot. The PIC obtained VFR flight following from Oakland Center to shoot the ILS 01L approach under VFR. However; when Oakland Center asked the PIC to switch to APC Tower frequency 118.7; we were not successful in establishing communication. We could not receive APC Tower's transmission in the airplane. The PIC tried a few times to contact APC Tower. As we were approaching APC airspace; I tried to contact APC Tower from my pilot station (right seat). I could not hear any communication. We confirmed the proper radio frequency was selected; the audio panel was configured properly and the volume was turned up.I noticed that the PIC was entering APC airspace; so I asked the PIC to get out of the airspace. However; he continued inbound on the localizer and the glide slope. I repeated a few times that we needed to get out. I noticed the Tower was shining a red light to our aircraft; so I notified the PIC that we needed to get out immediately. After that; the PIC started climbing; and followed the missed approach procedure. After having reached 2;500 MSL; he switched to Oakland Center on the same radio. Communication was established successfully. He notified Center that he couldn't establish communication with APC Tower.One issue I identified with the execution of the flight was my hesitance to take control of the airplane. Since I was neither instructing nor the PIC; I was hesitant to take control of the airplane to avoid penetration of Class D airspace. I thought that trying to take control of the airplane in this situation could be more dangerous since the PIC was not responding to my verbal communication to get out of the airspace. However; I realize now that I should be more assertive in avoiding situations when I identify something going wrong in the cockpit.Even if I was not providing instruction; nor was I the PIC; I could have taken control of the plane; and avoided penetration of Class D airspace; or at least effected the more expeditious exit.An additional pre-departure clarification could be to verbalize under what circumstances a non-PIC safety pilot - and especially an instructor who is occupying the right seat in a non-instructional capacity - will take control over the aircraft.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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