Air carrier medium large transport flight crew inadvertently selects ground control frequency instea...

Attributes
ACN	176803
Time
Date	199104
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 500 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 tower : lga artcc : zse
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude ground other : taxi
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	176180
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During taxiout from gate to runway 13 at lga, we had #1 VHF set up with tower on the left head and ground on the right. When approaching runway 13 for takeoff, the first officer switched to tower. Normal procedure at this point is to replace ground frequency with departure control frequency. For unknown reasons he didn't do it, and I didn't catch it. Upon liftoff the tower controller switched us over to departure. As in my usual practice, I keep my head out of the cockpit to look for traffic and FLIP the toggle west/O looking. In this case, it was back to ground. I called our flight # and out of 500 for 5000'. After a 10 second pause, a controller responded with, 'say again.' I then reported out of 1500 for 5000'. There was no response to our flight #, but I heard the controller talking with other flts. I just assumed she was busy. This is not unusual for ny departure during their busier times. We continued with our departure clearance. After 3-4 mins, we heard the same controller call our flight #, followed immediately by a different controller, probably a supervisor, informing us to switch to the departure control frequency of 120.4. I looked down for the first time and saw the mistake. Lesson learned: check for the correct departure frequency in the next control head as part of my takeoff scan.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG FLT CREW INADVERTENTLY SELECTS GND CTL FREQ INSTEAD OF DEP CTL FREQ ON DEP FROM LGA.

Narrative: DURING TAXIOUT FROM GATE TO RWY 13 AT LGA, WE HAD #1 VHF SET UP WITH TWR ON THE LEFT HEAD AND GND ON THE RIGHT. WHEN APCHING RWY 13 FOR TKOF, THE F/O SWITCHED TO TWR. NORMAL PROC AT THIS POINT IS TO REPLACE GND FREQ WITH DEP CTL FREQ. FOR UNKNOWN REASONS HE DIDN'T DO IT, AND I DIDN'T CATCH IT. UPON LIFTOFF THE TWR CTLR SWITCHED US OVER TO DEP. AS IN MY USUAL PRACTICE, I KEEP MY HEAD OUT OF THE COCKPIT TO LOOK FOR TFC AND FLIP THE TOGGLE W/O LOOKING. IN THIS CASE, IT WAS BACK TO GND. I CALLED OUR FLT # AND OUT OF 500 FOR 5000'. AFTER A 10 SEC PAUSE, A CTLR RESPONDED WITH, 'SAY AGAIN.' I THEN RPTED OUT OF 1500 FOR 5000'. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO OUR FLT #, BUT I HEARD THE CTLR TALKING WITH OTHER FLTS. I JUST ASSUMED SHE WAS BUSY. THIS IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR NY DEP DURING THEIR BUSIER TIMES. WE CONTINUED WITH OUR DEP CLRNC. AFTER 3-4 MINS, WE HEARD THE SAME CTLR CALL OUR FLT #, FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A DIFFERENT CTLR, PROBABLY A SUPVR, INFORMING US TO SWITCH TO THE DEP CTL FREQ OF 120.4. I LOOKED DOWN FOR THE FIRST TIME AND SAW THE MISTAKE. LESSON LEARNED: CHK FOR THE CORRECT DEP FREQ IN THE NEXT CTL HEAD AS PART OF MY TKOF SCAN.

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.

Air carrier medium large transport flight crew inadvertently selects ground control frequency instead of departure control frequency on departure from lga.