Narrative:

49J is an uncontrolled airport. However, because of the large volume of traffic expected for the mci heritage golf tournament a NOTAM was issued. The NOTAM is as follows '49J 003 49J temperature ATCT local control 127.1/ground control 121.4 XX00-XY00 mon- sat/YY00-YZ00 sun till 4/X.' I had arrived in at 49J prior to the NOTAM and used the unicom frequency to announce my arrival. On the day of my departure flight I received a WX briefing and filed an IFR flight plan. I do not recall the briefer mentioning the NOTAM for 49J. Additionally, I used the WX modem system on a laptop computer to do a flight plan and obtain the WX. However, since I didn't have a printer it was difficult to read the flight plan. On the system NOTAMS are in beginning of the printout and I must have missed it. After a thorough preflight and careful loading of the plane I began to taxi to runway 03 and monitor the unicom frequency 123.0. I was contacted by the 'hilton head tower' and told to switch to 127.1. I contacted the 'hilton head tower' and was asked about my IFR flight plan. I informed them since it was VFR I would open it in the air with beaufort. I was then cleared to taxi, at which point I switched back to the unicom frequency. During my taxi I was wondering who/what the hilton head tower was since this was an uncontrolled airport. Since I had switched frequencys and I didn't remember the 127.1 frequency, I did a long runup and announced on unicom I was departing. There was no contact from the tower. Several days after the trip I continued to wonder about the tower. Hilton head has an AWOS. Wouldn't that announce the fact that there was a tower? I rechked the sectionals -- the airfield was magenta. Then I used WX modem to see if there were NOTAMS for 49J. Then I saw the NOTAM. Contributing factors: 1) fixation on the takeoff: I was worried about taking off at full gross weight on a high density altitude day. I was new to the plane with approximately 12 hours in it and I was carrying my family. 2) changing frequencys: I couldn't re-contact tower since the frequency was not printed on any charts. All I could do was hope they would re-contact me. As mentioned earlier, I did some investigating and found the NOTAM. Too late for corrective actions, I had departed.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF AN SMA SINGLE ENG LAND ACFT TKOF WITHOUT CLRNC AT AN ARPT WITH A TEMPORARY TWR.

Narrative: 49J IS AN UNCTLED ARPT. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE LARGE VOLUME OF TFC EXPECTED FOR THE MCI HERITAGE GOLF TOURNAMENT A NOTAM WAS ISSUED. THE NOTAM IS AS FOLLOWS '49J 003 49J TEMP ATCT LC 127.1/GC 121.4 XX00-XY00 MON- SAT/YY00-YZ00 SUN TILL 4/X.' I HAD ARRIVED IN AT 49J PRIOR TO THE NOTAM AND USED THE UNICOM FREQ TO ANNOUNCE MY ARR. ON THE DAY OF MY DEP FLT I RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING AND FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN. I DO NOT RECALL THE BRIEFER MENTIONING THE NOTAM FOR 49J. ADDITIONALLY, I USED THE WX MODEM SYS ON A LAPTOP COMPUTER TO DO A FLT PLAN AND OBTAIN THE WX. HOWEVER, SINCE I DIDN'T HAVE A PRINTER IT WAS DIFFICULT TO READ THE FLT PLAN. ON THE SYS NOTAMS ARE IN BEGINNING OF THE PRINTOUT AND I MUST HAVE MISSED IT. AFTER A THOROUGH PREFLT AND CAREFUL LOADING OF THE PLANE I BEGAN TO TAXI TO RWY 03 AND MONITOR THE UNICOM FREQ 123.0. I WAS CONTACTED BY THE 'HILTON HEAD TWR' AND TOLD TO SWITCH TO 127.1. I CONTACTED THE 'HILTON HEAD TWR' AND WAS ASKED ABOUT MY IFR FLT PLAN. I INFORMED THEM SINCE IT WAS VFR I WOULD OPEN IT IN THE AIR WITH BEAUFORT. I WAS THEN CLRED TO TAXI, AT WHICH POINT I SWITCHED BACK TO THE UNICOM FREQ. DURING MY TAXI I WAS WONDERING WHO/WHAT THE HILTON HEAD TWR WAS SINCE THIS WAS AN UNCTLED ARPT. SINCE I HAD SWITCHED FREQS AND I DIDN'T REMEMBER THE 127.1 FREQ, I DID A LONG RUNUP AND ANNOUNCED ON UNICOM I WAS DEPARTING. THERE WAS NO CONTACT FROM THE TWR. SEVERAL DAYS AFTER THE TRIP I CONTINUED TO WONDER ABOUT THE TWR. HILTON HEAD HAS AN AWOS. WOULDN'T THAT ANNOUNCE THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A TWR? I RECHKED THE SECTIONALS -- THE AIRFIELD WAS MAGENTA. THEN I USED WX MODEM TO SEE IF THERE WERE NOTAMS FOR 49J. THEN I SAW THE NOTAM. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) FIXATION ON THE TKOF: I WAS WORRIED ABOUT TAKING OFF AT FULL GROSS WT ON A HIGH DENSITY ALT DAY. I WAS NEW TO THE PLANE WITH APPROX 12 HRS IN IT AND I WAS CARRYING MY FAMILY. 2) CHANGING FREQS: I COULDN'T RE-CONTACT TWR SINCE THE FREQ WAS NOT PRINTED ON ANY CHARTS. ALL I COULD DO WAS HOPE THEY WOULD RE-CONTACT ME. AS MENTIONED EARLIER, I DID SOME INVESTIGATING AND FOUND THE NOTAM. TOO LATE FOR CORRECTIVE ACTIONS, I HAD DEPARTED.

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.