Flight crew of light transport was on center frequency for departure rather than TRACON.

Attributes
ACN	136544
Time
Date	199002
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 600 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp tracon : msp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	136544
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 2950 flight time type : 970
ASRS Report	136904
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

At tower request with aircraft approximately 600' AGL, msp departure was to be contacted. Assigned heading of 100 degrees flown with aircraft climbing to 5000' MSL. By mistake, 125.3 (ZMP frequency) was selected and contacted. They assigned heading 065 degrees radar vectors rhi. While in contact with ZMP on 125.3, msp departure could be heard in communication with other aircraft. Xy departed msp runway 11L approximately 1 min after our flight, and we heard that flight both contact and receive instructions from msp departure. We now realized we had selected an inappropriate frequency, as we continued our climb to 5000' MSL on a center-assigned heading of 065 degrees, and now monitored msp departure on communication #2. They (msp departure) were trying to establish radio contact. We acknowledged and they reported there was no conflict but were concerned when we left our tower-assigned heading of 100 degrees for center assigned heading of 065 degrees. ZMP center should have questioned us when we checked in 'at 1600 MSL climbing to 5000 heading 100,' prior to assigning us a new heading. We were confused when we could hear both center controllers and departure controllers equally well on 125.3.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LTT WAS ON CENTER FREQ FOR DEP RATHER THAN TRACON.

Narrative: AT TWR REQUEST WITH ACFT APPROX 600' AGL, MSP DEP WAS TO BE CONTACTED. ASSIGNED HDG OF 100 DEGS FLOWN WITH ACFT CLBING TO 5000' MSL. BY MISTAKE, 125.3 (ZMP FREQ) WAS SELECTED AND CONTACTED. THEY ASSIGNED HDG 065 DEGS RADAR VECTORS RHI. WHILE IN CONTACT WITH ZMP ON 125.3, MSP DEP COULD BE HEARD IN COM WITH OTHER ACFT. XY DEPARTED MSP RWY 11L APPROX 1 MIN AFTER OUR FLT, AND WE HEARD THAT FLT BOTH CONTACT AND RECEIVE INSTRUCTIONS FROM MSP DEP. WE NOW REALIZED WE HAD SELECTED AN INAPPROPRIATE FREQ, AS WE CONTINUED OUR CLB TO 5000' MSL ON A CENTER-ASSIGNED HDG OF 065 DEGS, AND NOW MONITORED MSP DEP ON COM #2. THEY (MSP DEP) WERE TRYING TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT. WE ACKNOWLEDGED AND THEY RPTED THERE WAS NO CONFLICT BUT WERE CONCERNED WHEN WE LEFT OUR TWR-ASSIGNED HDG OF 100 DEGS FOR CENTER ASSIGNED HDG OF 065 DEGS. ZMP CENTER SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED US WHEN WE CHECKED IN 'AT 1600 MSL CLBING TO 5000 HDG 100,' PRIOR TO ASSIGNING US A NEW HDG. WE WERE CONFUSED WHEN WE COULD HEAR BOTH CENTER CTLRS AND DEP CTLRS EQUALLY WELL ON 125.3.

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.