Narrative:

Departed cdw flying VFR, RNAV direct to cho. En route chart utilized was current commercial RNAV. Destination information (cho) was obtained from AOPA's airports-1989. En route flight following and advisory service was obtained from phl and washington-dulles, with service never formally terminated by ATC. At a point 30 NM northwest of cho (over culpepper, va), I broadcasted my intention, to descend to 2500' MSL and change frequency in preparation to land, over last assigned frequency. There was no response. I changed frequency to 121.1 to monitor and contact cho, as this was the published frequency. Between 10 NM and 5 NM northeast of cho,I received no response to transmission on 121.1. Again,I verified the frequency in the AOPA book and in my pocket planner (1989). Both indicated the ct/CTAF frequency as 121.1. I assumed the published ct operating hours were in error and that the airport was using CTAF. I exercised a standard overhead approach to an uncontrolled airport. Overflying the runway centerline at 2500' MSL. My intentions were broadcast on 121.1 and I visually cleared the area for traffic. After landing uneventfully, I exited the runway to my left, at a taxiway perpendicular to the tower. At that time, I saw a red signal light and stopped at a hold line. The signal light immediately turned green and I followed a line veh to the FBO. On exiting the aircraft, I was asked to contact the tower and I reviewed my actions with them. Apparently the tower had been giving me green hand light gun signals from my 45 degree entry to downwind on. In my efforts to ascertain and keep clear from traffic, I must have perceived these signals as having been the airport beacon, as I did not recall or acknowledge them. The frequency information contained in AOPA's airports-1989 and the pocket planner (both in wide use by pilots) in incorrect. Letters have been sent to the publishers of both, urging them to correct this error. The current ct/CTAF frequency for cho is 124.5.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA LANDED CHO USING FREQ 121.1. RECEIVED RED AND GREEN LIGHTS DURING TAXI. TWR FREQ 124.5.

Narrative: DEPARTED CDW FLYING VFR, RNAV DIRECT TO CHO. ENRTE CHART UTILIZED WAS CURRENT COMMERCIAL RNAV. DEST INFO (CHO) WAS OBTAINED FROM AOPA'S ARPTS-1989. ENRTE FLT FOLLOWING AND ADVISORY SVC WAS OBTAINED FROM PHL AND WASHINGTON-DULLES, WITH SVC NEVER FORMALLY TERMINATED BY ATC. AT A POINT 30 NM NW OF CHO (OVER CULPEPPER, VA), I BROADCASTED MY INTENTION, TO DSND TO 2500' MSL AND CHANGE FREQ IN PREPARATION TO LAND, OVER LAST ASSIGNED FREQ. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. I CHANGED FREQ TO 121.1 TO MONITOR AND CONTACT CHO, AS THIS WAS THE PUBLISHED FREQ. BTWN 10 NM AND 5 NM NE OF CHO,I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE TO XMISSION ON 121.1. AGAIN,I VERIFIED THE FREQ IN THE AOPA BOOK AND IN MY POCKET PLANNER (1989). BOTH INDICATED THE CT/CTAF FREQ AS 121.1. I ASSUMED THE PUBLISHED CT OPERATING HRS WERE IN ERROR AND THAT THE ARPT WAS USING CTAF. I EXERCISED A STANDARD OVERHEAD APCH TO AN UNCONTROLLED ARPT. OVERFLYING THE RWY CENTERLINE AT 2500' MSL. MY INTENTIONS WERE BROADCAST ON 121.1 AND I VISUALLY CLRED THE AREA FOR TFC. AFTER LNDG UNEVENTFULLY, I EXITED THE RWY TO MY LEFT, AT A TXWY PERPENDICULAR TO THE TWR. AT THAT TIME, I SAW A RED SIGNAL LIGHT AND STOPPED AT A HOLD LINE. THE SIGNAL LIGHT IMMEDIATELY TURNED GREEN AND I FOLLOWED A LINE VEH TO THE FBO. ON EXITING THE ACFT, I WAS ASKED TO CONTACT THE TWR AND I REVIEWED MY ACTIONS WITH THEM. APPARENTLY THE TWR HAD BEEN GIVING ME GREEN HAND LIGHT GUN SIGNALS FROM MY 45 DEG ENTRY TO DOWNWIND ON. IN MY EFFORTS TO ASCERTAIN AND KEEP CLR FROM TFC, I MUST HAVE PERCEIVED THESE SIGNALS AS HAVING BEEN THE ARPT BEACON, AS I DID NOT RECALL OR ACKNOWLEDGE THEM. THE FREQ INFO CONTAINED IN AOPA'S ARPTS-1989 AND THE POCKET PLANNER (BOTH IN WIDE USE BY PLTS) IN INCORRECT. LETTERS HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE PUBLISHERS OF BOTH, URGING THEM TO CORRECT THIS ERROR. THE CURRENT CT/CTAF FREQ FOR CHO IS 124.5.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.