GA pilot picks up another ATC facility transmitting on the same frequency as tower.

Attributes
ACN	211353
Time
Date	199205
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fws
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : fws
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 550 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	211353
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

Approaching fort worth spinks airport who, in sep/91 or oct/91 began operating a non-federal control tower (prior to this had only unicom). The tower frequency is 128.55. Ground is 121.4. During approach, began listening to tower frequency prior to contact on 128.55. No activity at spinks, but picked up several aircraft using ZHU frequency 128.55. I kept listening for spinks and all I heard was ZHU. I did not know whether spinks had suddenly changed frequencys or not. My airport facility directory was current. Neither the new TCA map or sectional have the spinks tower frequency on them and, yes, they are current -- published jan/92 when the new fort worth TCA limits became effective -- makes you wonder why spinks tower frequency wasn't printed on either chart since this was 3 months after it began operation. So here's another problem. The airport facility directory lists spinks tower as 128.55. But, not being sure, I called spinks ground to verify. Answer was they are using 128.55. Definite. I located ZHU frequency 128.55. It is on low altitude en route L-17. Center of the page. So is spinks -- upper left corner on L-17. 160 NM apart. Guys -- we got a potential problem here. Same frequencys -- close together -- somebody's going to get the wrong instructions. Change the frequency of one.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT PICKS UP ANOTHER ATC FAC XMITTING ON THE SAME FREQ AS TWR.

Narrative: APCHING FORT WORTH SPINKS ARPT WHO, IN SEP/91 OR OCT/91 BEGAN OPERATING A NON-FEDERAL CTL TWR (PRIOR TO THIS HAD ONLY UNICOM). THE TWR FREQ IS 128.55. GND IS 121.4. DURING APCH, BEGAN LISTENING TO TWR FREQ PRIOR TO CONTACT ON 128.55. NO ACTIVITY AT SPINKS, BUT PICKED UP SEVERAL ACFT USING ZHU FREQ 128.55. I KEPT LISTENING FOR SPINKS AND ALL I HEARD WAS ZHU. I DID NOT KNOW WHETHER SPINKS HAD SUDDENLY CHANGED FREQS OR NOT. MY ARPT FAC DIRECTORY WAS CURRENT. NEITHER THE NEW TCA MAP OR SECTIONAL HAVE THE SPINKS TWR FREQ ON THEM AND, YES, THEY ARE CURRENT -- PUBLISHED JAN/92 WHEN THE NEW FORT WORTH TCA LIMITS BECAME EFFECTIVE -- MAKES YOU WONDER WHY SPINKS TWR FREQ WASN'T PRINTED ON EITHER CHART SINCE THIS WAS 3 MONTHS AFTER IT BEGAN OP. SO HERE'S ANOTHER PROBLEM. THE ARPT FAC DIRECTORY LISTS SPINKS TWR AS 128.55. BUT, NOT BEING SURE, I CALLED SPINKS GND TO VERIFY. ANSWER WAS THEY ARE USING 128.55. DEFINITE. I LOCATED ZHU FREQ 128.55. IT IS ON LOW ALT ENRTE L-17. CTR OF THE PAGE. SO IS SPINKS -- UPPER L CORNER ON L-17. 160 NM APART. GUYS -- WE GOT A POTENTIAL PROBLEM HERE. SAME FREQS -- CLOSE TOGETHER -- SOMEBODY'S GOING TO GET THE WRONG INSTRUCTIONS. CHANGE THE FREQ OF ONE.

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.