Wrong frequency guarded as frequency change missed.

Attributes
ACN	202605
Time
Date	199202
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	202605
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : clearance 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:

WX at time of departure: fog low visibility, 32 degree F, low ceiling, snowing. Ramps and taxiways: covered with ice and snow. Aircraft was de-iced after pushback, before engine start. After engine start, both gate hold and ground control frequency were congested and confused. Aircraft and controllers cut each other out. We taxied out of gate planning on 29R. 29R became closed for plowing. We went to 29L instead, however the first officer left the tower frequency for 29R in the #1 communication. The tower controller broadcast on the 29R frequency for both 29L and 29R while we were in line for departure on 29L. I was preoccupied with adverse WX procedures: i.e. Slippery ramp, aircraft clrncs, running up engines every 10 mins to clear them, and of course, upper wing ice on our medium large transport. I even sent the first officer back (while the brakes were set) to visually check the wings for ice when we were #2 for takeoff. When we were #1 holding short of 29L, it dawned on the first officer and me that the tower controller was now only giving instructions for 29R. Sheepishly, the first officer dialed in the 29L frequency and checked in. The 29L controller asked if we had frequency problems. We said yes, embarrassed. This could have been avoided if the 29R tower controller had never broadcast on both 29L or right frequencys. The silence would have alerted us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WRONG FREQ GUARDED AS FREQ CHANGE MISSED.

Narrative: WX AT TIME OF DEP: FOG LOW VISIBILITY, 32 DEG F, LOW CEILING, SNOWING. RAMPS AND TAXIWAYS: COVERED WITH ICE AND SNOW. ACFT WAS DE-ICED AFTER PUSHBACK, BEFORE ENG START. AFTER ENG START, BOTH GATE HOLD AND GND CTL FREQ WERE CONGESTED AND CONFUSED. ACFT AND CTLRS CUT EACH OTHER OUT. WE TAXIED OUT OF GATE PLANNING ON 29R. 29R BECAME CLOSED FOR PLOWING. WE WENT TO 29L INSTEAD, HOWEVER THE FO LEFT THE TWR FREQ FOR 29R IN THE #1 COM. THE TWR CTLR BROADCAST ON THE 29R FREQ FOR BOTH 29L AND 29R WHILE WE WERE IN LINE FOR DEP ON 29L. I WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH ADVERSE WX PROCS: I.E. SLIPPERY RAMP, ACFT CLRNCS, RUNNING UP ENGS EVERY 10 MINS TO CLR THEM, AND OF COURSE, UPPER WING ICE ON OUR MLG. I EVEN SENT THE FO BACK (WHILE THE BRAKES WERE SET) TO VISUALLY CHK THE WINGS FOR ICE WHEN WE WERE #2 FOR TKOF. WHEN WE WERE #1 HOLDING SHORT OF 29L, IT DAWNED ON THE FO AND ME THAT THE TWR CTLR WAS NOW ONLY GIVING INSTRUCTIONS FOR 29R. SHEEPISHLY, THE FO DIALED IN THE 29L FREQ AND CHKED IN. THE 29L CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD FREQ PROBLEMS. WE SAID YES, EMBARRASSED. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE 29R TWR CTLR HAD NEVER BROADCAST ON BOTH 29L OR R FREQS. THE SILENCE WOULD HAVE ALERTED US.

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.