Narrative:

This problem occurs because pilots either don't check the NOTAMS and rely on out of date books (hell, even the current airport facility directory doesn't have the correct information) or they aren't getting the NOTAMS on their briefs. The bwg FSS was closed in nov and the CTAF changed from 123.60 to 123.00. We're on IFR from lex to bwg and get bwg in sight and cancel IFR with memphis at 2600 ft MSL 10-12 NM northeast bwg. While monitoring 123.00, we made all the proper radio calls for uncontrolled field. While on short final (for runway 21) unicom called and said there was traffic short final for runway 3. We called again final runway 21 bwg. No response. We saw the opposite traffic when above the runway. He was sidestepping for a left downwind runway 21 out of his short final. So we continued the landing. After landing, during taxi I switched to 123.6 and asked if the twin bwg traffic was on frequency, and sure enough he was on the old frequency. This had happened 2 weeks before, when again we were approaching bwg from the northeast, but the other traffic was also IFR and also talking to memphis so we knew there would be traffic arriving at bwg at the same time, and when cleared to switch to CTAF and expecting to hear the other traffic, I wondered if he might be on the old frequency when after a couple of calls on 123.00 got no response. So I switched to 123.60 and advised that the new frequency was 123.00 (he was on the old frequency sure enough). I guess some tragic accident will have to happen before the local authority/authorized and federal bureaucrats can cooperate and fix an inevitable disaster. Bwg receives such a mix of aircraft VFR/IFR, training, military. It needs some help. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that he has spoken with the regional office in atlanta and with memphis personnel and the action taken has helped. The NOTAM has been reissued and reworded to indicate which frequency is to be used. There is also a statement that if 2 radios are available the pilot may want to monitor both frequencys. There was also permission given to the former FSS personnel to acknowledge calls on 123.6 to inform pilots of the proper frequency to use. This would only be active until the jan/xx/97. Analyst suggested the use of the hotline to add to the dissemination of information.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP ACFT ON IFR FINAL APCH INFORMED BY UNICOM OPERATOR OF TFC ON APCH OPPOSITE DIRECTION. FSS CLOSURE AND FREQ CHANGE CAUSED WRONG FREQ TO BE USED.

Narrative: THIS PROB OCCURS BECAUSE PLTS EITHER DON'T CHK THE NOTAMS AND RELY ON OUT OF DATE BOOKS (HELL, EVEN THE CURRENT ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY DOESN'T HAVE THE CORRECT INFO) OR THEY AREN'T GETTING THE NOTAMS ON THEIR BRIEFS. THE BWG FSS WAS CLOSED IN NOV AND THE CTAF CHANGED FROM 123.60 TO 123.00. WE'RE ON IFR FROM LEX TO BWG AND GET BWG IN SIGHT AND CANCEL IFR WITH MEMPHIS AT 2600 FT MSL 10-12 NM NE BWG. WHILE MONITORING 123.00, WE MADE ALL THE PROPER RADIO CALLS FOR UNCTLED FIELD. WHILE ON SHORT FINAL (FOR RWY 21) UNICOM CALLED AND SAID THERE WAS TFC SHORT FINAL FOR RWY 3. WE CALLED AGAIN FINAL RWY 21 BWG. NO RESPONSE. WE SAW THE OPPOSITE TFC WHEN ABOVE THE RWY. HE WAS SIDESTEPPING FOR A L DOWNWIND RWY 21 OUT OF HIS SHORT FINAL. SO WE CONTINUED THE LNDG. AFTER LNDG, DURING TAXI I SWITCHED TO 123.6 AND ASKED IF THE TWIN BWG TFC WAS ON FREQ, AND SURE ENOUGH HE WAS ON THE OLD FREQ. THIS HAD HAPPENED 2 WKS BEFORE, WHEN AGAIN WE WERE APCHING BWG FROM THE NE, BUT THE OTHER TFC WAS ALSO IFR AND ALSO TALKING TO MEMPHIS SO WE KNEW THERE WOULD BE TFC ARRIVING AT BWG AT THE SAME TIME, AND WHEN CLRED TO SWITCH TO CTAF AND EXPECTING TO HEAR THE OTHER TFC, I WONDERED IF HE MIGHT BE ON THE OLD FREQ WHEN AFTER A COUPLE OF CALLS ON 123.00 GOT NO RESPONSE. SO I SWITCHED TO 123.60 AND ADVISED THAT THE NEW FREQ WAS 123.00 (HE WAS ON THE OLD FREQ SURE ENOUGH). I GUESS SOME TRAGIC ACCIDENT WILL HAVE TO HAPPEN BEFORE THE LCL AUTH AND FEDERAL BUREAUCRATS CAN COOPERATE AND FIX AN INEVITABLE DISASTER. BWG RECEIVES SUCH A MIX OF ACFT VFR/IFR, TRAINING, MIL. IT NEEDS SOME HELP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT HE HAS SPOKEN WITH THE REGIONAL OFFICE IN ATLANTA AND WITH MEMPHIS PERSONNEL AND THE ACTION TAKEN HAS HELPED. THE NOTAM HAS BEEN REISSUED AND REWORDED TO INDICATE WHICH FREQ IS TO BE USED. THERE IS ALSO A STATEMENT THAT IF 2 RADIOS ARE AVAILABLE THE PLT MAY WANT TO MONITOR BOTH FREQS. THERE WAS ALSO PERMISSION GIVEN TO THE FORMER FSS PERSONNEL TO ACKNOWLEDGE CALLS ON 123.6 TO INFORM PLTS OF THE PROPER FREQ TO USE. THIS WOULD ONLY BE ACTIVE UNTIL THE JAN/XX/97. ANALYST SUGGESTED THE USE OF THE HOTLINE TO ADD TO THE DISSEMINATION OF INFO.

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.