Pilot of small aircraft approaching hsv had tower frequency overlap from mem tower.

Attributes
ACN	139280
Time
Date	199001
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hsv
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hsv
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 815 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	139280
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

After being handed over from approach (125.6) to tower 119.7 the tower cleared us to land on 18L while we were 8 mi out on straight-in. Shortly thereafter, we heard an air carrier flight acknowledge 'cleared for the visibility to 18L'. We heard several similar air carrier xmissions, and became concerned that an airliner was overtaking us. I asked huntsville tower 'where is our air carrier traffic?', and was told that huntsville was not working an air carrier flight. We subsequently heard the air carrier change to 18R (huntsville's preferred airline runway) and stopped worrying. Later telephone discussion with huntsville ATC indicates that we were probably hearing traffic at memphis, which has runways 18L and 18R, and local traffic control on 119.7. Whether the transmission was skip or line-of-sight, I can't guess. However, it seems to me to be a basic violation of safety to have identical runway numbers and identical local control frequencys on two airports within 160 mi of each other.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA APCHING HSV HAD TWR FREQ OVERLAP FROM MEM TWR.

Narrative: AFTER BEING HANDED OVER FROM APCH (125.6) TO TWR 119.7 THE TWR CLRED US TO LAND ON 18L WHILE WE WERE 8 MI OUT ON STRAIGHT-IN. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE HEARD AN ACR FLT ACKNOWLEDGE 'CLRED FOR THE VIS TO 18L'. WE HEARD SEVERAL SIMILAR ACR XMISSIONS, AND BECAME CONCERNED THAT AN AIRLINER WAS OVERTAKING US. I ASKED HUNTSVILLE TWR 'WHERE IS OUR ACR TFC?', AND WAS TOLD THAT HUNTSVILLE WAS NOT WORKING AN ACR FLT. WE SUBSEQUENTLY HEARD THE ACR CHANGE TO 18R (HUNTSVILLE'S PREFERRED AIRLINE RWY) AND STOPPED WORRYING. LATER TELEPHONE DISCUSSION WITH HUNTSVILLE ATC INDICATES THAT WE WERE PROBABLY HEARING TFC AT MEMPHIS, WHICH HAS RWYS 18L AND 18R, AND LCL TFC CTL ON 119.7. WHETHER THE XMISSION WAS SKIP OR LINE-OF-SIGHT, I CAN'T GUESS. HOWEVER, IT SEEMS TO ME TO BE A BASIC VIOLATION OF SAFETY TO HAVE IDENTICAL RWY NUMBERS AND IDENTICAL LCL CTL FREQS ON TWO ARPTS WITHIN 160 MI OF EACH OTHER.

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.