A commuter light transport tried to establish air to air contact with an small aircraft on a commonly used but unauthorized frequency. TRACON controller became very upset thinking someone was trying to confuse an aircraft he was controling.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	152753
Time
Date	199008
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ptw
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3300 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	152753
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While en route to destination from phl, I heard another aircraft come on frequency. I recognized this aircraft's registration as the aircraft I had first soloed in 12 yrs ago. Curious as to its present condition and status I, with the capts permission, transmitted a question or statement to this aircraft requesting him to 'come up on 122.75.' 122.75 is recognized as an 'air to air' or 'plane to plane' communication frequency. Apparently, the pilot of the aircraft did not recognize or understand the frequency and thought that radar controller was requesting him to change frequency to 122.75. He repeated the frequency to which the air traffic controller immediately told him not to do so. The air traffic controller, obviously upset, began asking who had called and asked several questions to the pilot. He thought, it sounded that someone was compromising the frequency and giving erroneous calls. He was very upset. Lessons learned. Never assume that everyone knows what 122.75 frequency is for. Never transmit on an ATC frequency to another aircraft west/O the controller's permission!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A COMMUTER LTT TRIED TO ESTABLISH AIR TO AIR CONTACT WITH AN SMA ON A COMMONLY USED BUT UNAUTH FREQ. TRACON CTLR BECAME VERY UPSET THINKING SOMEONE WAS TRYING TO CONFUSE AN ACFT HE WAS CTLING.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE TO DEST FROM PHL, I HEARD ANOTHER ACFT COME ON FREQ. I RECOGNIZED THIS ACFT'S REGISTRATION AS THE ACFT I HAD FIRST SOLOED IN 12 YRS AGO. CURIOUS AS TO ITS PRESENT CONDITION AND STATUS I, WITH THE CAPTS PERMISSION, XMITTED A QUESTION OR STATEMENT TO THIS ACFT REQUESTING HIM TO 'COME UP ON 122.75.' 122.75 IS RECOGNIZED AS AN 'AIR TO AIR' OR 'PLANE TO PLANE' COM FREQ. APPARENTLY, THE PLT OF THE ACFT DID NOT RECOGNIZE OR UNDERSTAND THE FREQ AND THOUGHT THAT RADAR CTLR WAS REQUESTING HIM TO CHANGE FREQ TO 122.75. HE REPEATED THE FREQ TO WHICH THE AIR TFC CTLR IMMEDIATELY TOLD HIM NOT TO DO SO. THE AIR TFC CTLR, OBVIOUSLY UPSET, BEGAN ASKING WHO HAD CALLED AND ASKED SEVERAL QUESTIONS TO THE PLT. HE THOUGHT, IT SOUNDED THAT SOMEONE WAS COMPROMISING THE FREQ AND GIVING ERRONEOUS CALLS. HE WAS VERY UPSET. LESSONS LEARNED. NEVER ASSUME THAT EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT 122.75 FREQ IS FOR. NEVER XMIT ON AN ATC FREQ TO ANOTHER ACFT W/O THE CTLR'S PERMISSION!

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.