Narrative:

We were cleared for takeoff runway 18L dfw following a twin turbo propeller commuter aircraft. Takeoff instructions were 'preceding traffic is straight out, fly heading 185 degree at the marker.' our predep clearance (pre departure clearance) read 'maintain 10000 ft, contact department control on 118.55.' after takeoff tower switched us to departure control. The frequency was busy and after 3 or 4 attempts they advised us we were on the wrong frequency as they were east departures and we were on the west side, however, we have traffic and to maintain 3000 ft. He asked if we had the aircraft visually. We replied yes, as we were simultaneously receiving a TCASII TA and spotted the commuter aircraft at 1 O'clock, 1000 ft above us and proceeding wbound. The aircraft appeared to be about a mi laterally and the same type we departed after. We switched frequencys while maintaining visual separation and subsequently received vectors and a normal departure. This seems to me a dangerous potential conflict. Why was the preceding aircraft crossing in front of us when we understood he was proceeding straight out? I am sure the conflict would not have developed as far if not for the frequency mix up on the pre departure clearance. We were monitoring the given frequency but did not notice that it was the normal frequency for the opposite side of the airport. Why not print both appropriate frequencys associated with their departure runways as is done in other pre departure clearance large airports such as atl?

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG FAILED TO CONTACT DEP CTL AFTER TKOF AS DIRECTED DUE TO THE WRONG COM FREQ PROVIDED BY THE PDC.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 18L DFW FOLLOWING A TWIN TURBO PROP COMMUTER ACFT. TKOF INSTRUCTIONS WERE 'PRECEDING TFC IS STRAIGHT OUT, FLY HDG 185 DEG AT THE MARKER.' OUR PREDEP CLRNC (PDC) READ 'MAINTAIN 10000 FT, CONTACT DEPT CTL ON 118.55.' AFTER TKOF TWR SWITCHED US TO DEP CTL. THE FREQ WAS BUSY AND AFTER 3 OR 4 ATTEMPTS THEY ADVISED US WE WERE ON THE WRONG FREQ AS THEY WERE E DEPS AND WE WERE ON THE W SIDE, HOWEVER, WE HAVE TFC AND TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT. HE ASKED IF WE HAD THE ACFT VISUALLY. WE REPLIED YES, AS WE WERE SIMULTANEOUSLY RECEIVING A TCASII TA AND SPOTTED THE COMMUTER ACFT AT 1 O'CLOCK, 1000 FT ABOVE US AND PROCEEDING WBOUND. THE ACFT APPEARED TO BE ABOUT A MI LATERALLY AND THE SAME TYPE WE DEPARTED AFTER. WE SWITCHED FREQS WHILE MAINTAINING VISUAL SEPARATION AND SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED VECTORS AND A NORMAL DEP. THIS SEEMS TO ME A DANGEROUS POTENTIAL CONFLICT. WHY WAS THE PRECEDING ACFT XING IN FRONT OF US WHEN WE UNDERSTOOD HE WAS PROCEEDING STRAIGHT OUT? I AM SURE THE CONFLICT WOULD NOT HAVE DEVELOPED AS FAR IF NOT FOR THE FREQ MIX UP ON THE PDC. WE WERE MONITORING THE GIVEN FREQ BUT DID NOT NOTICE THAT IT WAS THE NORMAL FREQ FOR THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ARPT. WHY NOT PRINT BOTH APPROPRIATE FREQS ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR DEP RWYS AS IS DONE IN OTHER PDC LARGE ARPTS SUCH AS ATL?

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.