Flight crew copied wrong departure frequency. Clearance delivery did not catch error on readback.

Attributes
ACN	135384
Time
Date	199001
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dtw tracon : btv
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	135384
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Included in our clearance from dtw clearance delivery was the departure frequency on 118.9 which we read back and acknowledged as being correct by clearance delivery. After takeoff from dtw, metropolitan tower told us to 'contact departure'. At that time we were at 2500 MSL and were told by a voice on 118.9 the words '11,000 and 250' which we assumed to be a 250 heading. We acknowledged with our call sign and after a period of silence on the frequency, we reinitiated a call on 118.9 and were subsequently told we were on cle departure frequency. We switched back to dtw metropolitan tower for the correct departure frequency which turned out to be 118.95. I believe the problem began at the gate in dtw during our readback of the clearance that included the frequency of 118.9 which was acknowledged as being correct by the controller. This error combined with the close proximity of cle departure with a very similar departure frequency, which coincidentally was correct for our geographical location from the cle airport, created a potential for conflict. Human factor: acknowledgement from ATC for a correct readback when in fact it was not.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW COPIED WRONG DEP FREQ. CLRNC DELIVERY DID NOT CATCH ERROR ON READBACK.

Narrative: INCLUDED IN OUR CLRNC FROM DTW CLRNC DELIVERY WAS THE DEP FREQ ON 118.9 WHICH WE READ BACK AND ACKNOWLEDGED AS BEING CORRECT BY CLRNC DELIVERY. AFTER TKOF FROM DTW, METRO TWR TOLD US TO 'CONTACT DEP'. AT THAT TIME WE WERE AT 2500 MSL AND WERE TOLD BY A VOICE ON 118.9 THE WORDS '11,000 AND 250' WHICH WE ASSUMED TO BE A 250 HDG. WE ACKNOWLEDGED WITH OUR CALL SIGN AND AFTER A PERIOD OF SILENCE ON THE FREQ, WE REINITIATED A CALL ON 118.9 AND WERE SUBSEQUENTLY TOLD WE WERE ON CLE DEP FREQ. WE SWITCHED BACK TO DTW METRO TWR FOR THE CORRECT DEP FREQ WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE 118.95. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM BEGAN AT THE GATE IN DTW DURING OUR READBACK OF THE CLRNC THAT INCLUDED THE FREQ OF 118.9 WHICH WAS ACKNOWLEDGED AS BEING CORRECT BY THE CTLR. THIS ERROR COMBINED WITH THE CLOSE PROX OF CLE DEP WITH A VERY SIMILAR DEP FREQ, WHICH COINCIDENTALLY WAS CORRECT FOR OUR GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION FROM THE CLE ARPT, CREATED A POTENTIAL FOR CONFLICT. HUMAN FACTOR: ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM ATC FOR A CORRECT READBACK WHEN IN FACT IT WAS NOT.

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