Short Final

Monday, March 28, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A pilot (N1234) misunderstood an Air Traffic Control (ATC) instruction to "ident" during an inbound call to McKinney Tower.
Instead of pressing the "ident" button on their transponder, the pilot verbally described their position and aircraft type.
ATC had to clarify the instruction, explaining to the pilot to press the "ident" button on their transponder.

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I just now heard this while listening to the McKinney, Texas (KTKI) tower:

N1234:
“McKinney Tower, N1234 is 10 east, inbound at 2,500 for touch-and-goes.”

Tower:
“N1234, ident.”

N1234:
“Ahhh. Uh. I am about 10 east at 2,500; heading: 270 — a red-and-white Cessna 172.”

Tower:
“N1234, just press the identbutton on your transponder please.”

N1234:
“Oh, O. K.”

Ron Dawes