Narrative:

Was on training flight in area of aitkin, mn, noted 122.9 was being used in pine river area as a control tower. I checked with FSS and found no NOTAMS. In fact, FSS stated I was the third person to inquire. I got an aircraft at pine river area to talk to me on 122.75. He said it was a tower. I idented myself as a FAA safety counselor and told him to advise the person on the 'tower' that it was not notamed and that I didn't believe it was authority/authorized. This pilot relayed the information to the 'tower' on 122.9. He said that I was an 'FAA official giving a cease and desist order.' a short time later an aeronca in the pattern at pine river declared an emergency. He said he had total engine failure. This was on 122.9. Being a peace officer, safety counselor, civil air patrol and rescue pilot and a licensed first responder in first aid, I tried to get more information. The 'tower' told me it was all just a drill. I advised him to tell the aeronca pilot to say 'simulated' emergency due to confusion it causes and reminded him that the 'tower' operation was not notamed and it was causing safety hazard to others using 122.9 at other fields. As it turned out, it was the military! I feel their actions endangered other pilots and caused confusion by declaring emergency over common frequency. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated he had reported the incident to FSDO. FSDO inspector chastised reporter for being rude on frequency. FSS supervisor stated no NOTAM had been filed for a temporary tower at pine river.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL TEMPORARY TWR NOT NOTAMED.

Narrative: WAS ON TRAINING FLT IN AREA OF AITKIN, MN, NOTED 122.9 WAS BEING USED IN PINE RIVER AREA AS A CTL TWR. I CHKED WITH FSS AND FOUND NO NOTAMS. IN FACT, FSS STATED I WAS THE THIRD PERSON TO INQUIRE. I GOT AN ACFT AT PINE RIVER AREA TO TALK TO ME ON 122.75. HE SAID IT WAS A TWR. I IDENTED MYSELF AS A FAA SAFETY COUNSELOR AND TOLD HIM TO ADVISE THE PERSON ON THE 'TWR' THAT IT WAS NOT NOTAMED AND THAT I DIDN'T BELIEVE IT WAS AUTH. THIS PLT RELAYED THE INFO TO THE 'TWR' ON 122.9. HE SAID THAT I WAS AN 'FAA OFFICIAL GIVING A CEASE AND DESIST ORDER.' A SHORT TIME LATER AN AERONCA IN THE PATTERN AT PINE RIVER DECLARED AN EMER. HE SAID HE HAD TOTAL ENG FAILURE. THIS WAS ON 122.9. BEING A PEACE OFFICER, SAFETY COUNSELOR, CIVIL AIR PATROL AND RESCUE PLT AND A LICENSED FIRST RESPONDER IN FIRST AID, I TRIED TO GET MORE INFO. THE 'TWR' TOLD ME IT WAS ALL JUST A DRILL. I ADVISED HIM TO TELL THE AERONCA PLT TO SAY 'SIMULATED' EMER DUE TO CONFUSION IT CAUSES AND REMINDED HIM THAT THE 'TWR' OP WAS NOT NOTAMED AND IT WAS CAUSING SAFETY HAZARD TO OTHERS USING 122.9 AT OTHER FIELDS. AS IT TURNED OUT, IT WAS THE MIL! I FEEL THEIR ACTIONS ENDANGERED OTHER PLTS AND CAUSED CONFUSION BY DECLARING EMER OVER COMMON FREQ. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED HE HAD RPTED THE INCIDENT TO FSDO. FSDO INSPECTOR CHASTISED RPTR FOR BEING RUDE ON FREQ. FSS SUPVR STATED NO NOTAM HAD BEEN FILED FOR A TEMPORARY TWR AT PINE RIVER.

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.