Small aircraft X pilot unauthorized frequency change in air traffic area. Pilot deviation.

Attributes
ACN	136725
Time
Date	199002
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : csg
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : csg
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
ASRS Report	136725
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was working combined local control/ground control. Small aircraft X called for taxi for a VFR departure to the northwest. I issued a squawk and departure frequency and had him taxi to runway 5. I subsequently cleared him for takeoff and advised him a left turn on course was approved. (To the northwest.) I observed inbound traffic air carrier Y from the northeast which was descending and would cross the departures path. I called small aircraft X to issue traffic and received no response. I tried again and again there was no response. I contacted the departure controller and was advised that he was already in contact with the aircraft and would sort it out. The departing aircraft was less than a mi from the departure end of the runway and had never been told to contact departure. Luckily the departure controller was not too busy and was able to issue the traffic and separate the aircraft. Cause: pilot switching frequencys prematurely. This is covered in aim paragraph 324C in standard print but happens here frequently enough that I feel it warrants bolder print.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA X PLT UNAUTH FREQ CHANGE IN ATA. PLTDEV.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING COMBINED LCL CTL/GND CTL. SMA X CALLED FOR TAXI FOR A VFR DEP TO THE NW. I ISSUED A SQUAWK AND DEP FREQ AND HAD HIM TAXI TO RWY 5. I SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED HIM FOR TKOF AND ADVISED HIM A L TURN ON COURSE WAS APPROVED. (TO THE NW.) I OBSERVED INBND TFC ACR Y FROM THE NE WHICH WAS DSNDING AND WOULD CROSS THE DEPS PATH. I CALLED SMA X TO ISSUE TFC AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. I TRIED AGAIN AND AGAIN THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. I CONTACTED THE DEP CTLR AND WAS ADVISED THAT HE WAS ALREADY IN CONTACT WITH THE ACFT AND WOULD SORT IT OUT. THE DEPARTING ACFT WAS LESS THAN A MI FROM THE DEP END OF THE RWY AND HAD NEVER BEEN TOLD TO CONTACT DEP. LUCKILY THE DEP CTLR WAS NOT TOO BUSY AND WAS ABLE TO ISSUE THE TFC AND SEPARATE THE ACFT. CAUSE: PLT SWITCHING FREQS PREMATURELY. THIS IS COVERED IN AIM PARAGRAPH 324C IN STANDARD PRINT BUT HAPPENS HERE FREQUENTLY ENOUGH THAT I FEEL IT WARRANTS BOLDER PRINT.

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.