Small aircraft making low pass over airport listening on wrong frequency.

Attributes
ACN	158656
Time
Date	199009
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : shn
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1800
ASRS Report	158656
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This was the second day of my washington state search and rescue training program. I was instructed by my trner to pass over the shelton airport from north to south at 500' AGL and try to pick up an ELT signal from a transmitter which was set to broadcast on 122.6? (Not sure of frequency). After picking up the signal I was instructed to block the signal with my wings, which I did. I started reporting my position and intent beyond 5 mi from the field. While I was approaching the field I noticed a white low wing aircraft abeam the numbers on a left downwind for runway 23. I was puzzled that I did not hear him report his position or intent. When I was crossing the runway perpendicular at midfield it occurred to me I was on the practice ELT frequency and not the unicom frequency. I immediately switched to unicom. Approximately 2 mins later after I started broadcasting my intentions on unicom a broadcast was made asking if it was my airplane that made a low pass. I acknowledged that it was and for what reason and that I was inadvertently on the wrong frequency. When an instrument is on board a pilot usually relaxes his responsibilities thinking the instrument will help with the duties and the pilot does not have to be as vigilant. This is not true. I should have known better.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA MAKING LOW PASS OVER ARPT LISTENING ON WRONG FREQ.

Narrative: THIS WAS THE SEC DAY OF MY WASHINGTON STATE SEARCH AND RESCUE TRNING PROGRAM. I WAS INSTRUCTED BY MY TRNER TO PASS OVER THE SHELTON ARPT FROM N TO S AT 500' AGL AND TRY TO PICK UP AN ELT SIGNAL FROM A XMITTER WHICH WAS SET TO BROADCAST ON 122.6? (NOT SURE OF FREQ). AFTER PICKING UP THE SIGNAL I WAS INSTRUCTED TO BLOCK THE SIGNAL WITH MY WINGS, WHICH I DID. I STARTED RPTING MY POS AND INTENT BEYOND 5 MI FROM THE FIELD. WHILE I WAS APCHING THE FIELD I NOTICED A WHITE LOW WING ACFT ABEAM THE NUMBERS ON A L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 23. I WAS PUZZLED THAT I DID NOT HEAR HIM RPT HIS POS OR INTENT. WHEN I WAS XING THE RWY PERPENDICULAR AT MIDFIELD IT OCCURRED TO ME I WAS ON THE PRACTICE ELT FREQ AND NOT THE UNICOM FREQ. I IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED TO UNICOM. APPROX 2 MINS LATER AFTER I STARTED BROADCASTING MY INTENTIONS ON UNICOM A BROADCAST WAS MADE ASKING IF IT WAS MY AIRPLANE THAT MADE A LOW PASS. I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT WAS AND FOR WHAT REASON AND THAT I WAS INADVERTENTLY ON THE WRONG FREQ. WHEN AN INSTR IS ON BOARD A PLT USUALLY RELAXES HIS RESPONSIBILITIES THINKING THE INSTR WILL HELP WITH THE DUTIES AND THE PLT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE AS VIGILANT. THIS IS NOT TRUE. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER.

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.