Date: 201409
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: FAT.Airport, CA
Weather elements / visibility: Haze / Smoke; 10
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear
Operator: Personal
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Personal
Flight phase: Initial Approach
Airspace: Class C FAT
ATC / advisory: TRACON FAT; Tower FAT
Reporter organization: Personal
Reporter function: Single Pilot; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Human factors: Confusion; Distraction; Troubleshooting; Communication Breakdown
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control; Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Contributing factors: ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings
Primary problem: ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings

Narrative: While descending to 3;000 feet under Fresno Approach Control on a heading of 120; on extended downwind for vectors to final for a visual approach to RWY 29L; I received a call that my aircraft was instructed to turn base for RWY 29L to follow an aircraft on 2 or 3 mile final.  I acknowledged the call and began to descend and turn left base.  Then I received another call that said I was not to turn and was to resume my heading of 120.  I acknowledged the call and began to turn right back to 120.  Then I received another call that said my aircraft was cleared to land.  I acknowledged the clearance.  Then; Fresno Approach got pissed and said You are not cleared to land; I explained that I had gotten a call from the Fresno Tower clearing me to land.  Approach said they hadn't handed me off to Tower yet and that I shouldn't be talking to the Tower.  I acknowledged that; but said I was confused by the multiple conflicting calls on approach frequency and apologized.  I very carefully confirmed that I was not tuned to the tower frequency on any of my radios. Approach then cleared me for the visual approach and handed me off to Tower.  I contacted Fresno Tower and was cleared to land (again).  Then I asked the controller if he had made any calls to me beforehand.  He said yes; they had some radio problems a few minutes ago.  I then landed without incident and; surprisingly; without any request to call the Tower or Approach.  I was very upset over the confusing calls; which I can only assume occurred because the Fresno Tower was inadvertently transmitting on the approach frequency and listening on the tower frequency.  They never heard my acknowledgments to their earlier and incorrect base turn and clearance to land; so they kept issuing them.  I also have no idea why the Tower was calling me (on the wrong frequency before my airplane got handed off to them by approach and my checking in with them.  It was a real communications foul up; but fortunately it did not result in any traffic conflict or imminent safety issue.




Synopsis: Pilot attempting to make a visual approach receives instructions from Approach Control and also receives landing clearance from the Tower.  He is only on one frequency; Approach; and wonders how he is hearing the Tower.  Pilot queries Tower after being switched over and the confirm that earlier they did clear him to land.