Narrative:

Local control, ground control and clearance delivery were all combined and I had just relieved the previous controller. My first call was to a vehicle on ground. Seconds later, twin cessna (nga X) called. He had been shipped to departure prior to my taking position, but was still in my airspace. He asked if departure was open at 121.5. I replied that the correct frequency was 120.1. He then returned to the correct frequency. The previous controller had given nga X a 300 degree heading off of runway 32R, a standard west heading for propeller departures, designed to miss tv towers west of the airport which have a 3 mi protected airspace around them to 3500 ft MSL. Nga X was level at 3000 ft. After I gave him the correct frequency, I keyed up the west controller and told him nga X had been on the wrong frequency and was coming over. I made this call because nga X was already past the normal point of control transfer. West said climb him to 4000 ft. I replied he was already on his frequency. I had not studied nga X's track and had assumed, given the wind (29 degrees 08 KTS), heading and other factors, that even though he was close to the 3 mi ring, it would not be a factor. I had made no attempt to turn him away from the ring and subsequent data reduction showed that he grazed the northeast side of the ring.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DEPARTING IFR TWIN CESSNA MAINTAINING 3000 FT PENETRATES THE 3 MI RING AROUND A TV TWR OBSTRUCTION BELOW THE ALLOWABLE ALT OF 3500 FT.

Narrative: LCL CTL, GND CTL AND CLRNC DELIVERY WERE ALL COMBINED AND I HAD JUST RELIEVED THE PREVIOUS CTLR. MY FIRST CALL WAS TO A VEHICLE ON GND. SECONDS LATER, TWIN CESSNA (NGA X) CALLED. HE HAD BEEN SHIPPED TO DEP PRIOR TO MY TAKING POS, BUT WAS STILL IN MY AIRSPACE. HE ASKED IF DEP WAS OPEN AT 121.5. I REPLIED THAT THE CORRECT FREQ WAS 120.1. HE THEN RETURNED TO THE CORRECT FREQ. THE PREVIOUS CTLR HAD GIVEN NGA X A 300 DEG HDG OFF OF RWY 32R, A STANDARD W HEADING FOR PROP DEPS, DESIGNED TO MISS TV TWRS W OF THE ARPT WHICH HAVE A 3 MI PROTECTED AIRSPACE AROUND THEM TO 3500 FT MSL. NGA X WAS LEVEL AT 3000 FT. AFTER I GAVE HIM THE CORRECT FREQ, I KEYED UP THE WEST CTLR AND TOLD HIM NGA X HAD BEEN ON THE WRONG FREQ AND WAS COMING OVER. I MADE THIS CALL BECAUSE NGA X WAS ALREADY PAST THE NORMAL POINT OF CTL TRANSFER. WEST SAID CLB HIM TO 4000 FT. I REPLIED HE WAS ALREADY ON HIS FREQ. I HAD NOT STUDIED NGA X'S TRACK AND HAD ASSUMED, GIVEN THE WIND (29 DEGS 08 KTS), HEADING AND OTHER FACTORS, THAT EVEN THOUGH HE WAS CLOSE TO THE 3 MI RING, IT WOULD NOT BE A FACTOR. I HAD MADE NO ATTEMPT TO TURN HIM AWAY FROM THE RING AND SUBSEQUENT DATA REDUCTION SHOWED THAT HE GRAZED THE NE SIDE OF THE RING.

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.