Narrative:

VFR flight plan from lampson, lakeport (102), direct medford (mfr) landing and departing medford, direct troutdale (ttd). In communication with all ATC for flight following. Problem free until portland approach cleared to contact troutdale tower at 120.5, verified by flight guide (120.5). Called tower 3 times at 5 mi, on the 45 degree entry, without response. Pilot was unfamiliar with area. Flight path to troutdale was underneath jet glide path for final at portland (pdx) at 1500 ft, in the vicinity of mountains. Pilot realized there was no response from tower so looked for lights from tower, but there were none. Continued downwind looking for lights, but none appeared. Avoided other traffic on base leg and final. On base to final pattern, troutdale tower radioed pilot on 120.5 that proper tower frequency was 120.9. Pilot was then cleared to land. Landed without incidence. Problem occurred because of outdated information in flight guide's section on airports and frequencys. Also, portland approach provided wrong frequency, and/or no correction of improper readback of frequency. Pilot should have contacted approach control again for clarification of radio frequency prior to entering class D or tried contacting ground frequency or squawking 7600 while looking for lights at tower. Factors affecting quality of human performance, unfamiliarity with area, complicated approach to troutdale from southwest with class C airspace and route underneath jet glide path to (pdx) at low altitude. The real causes of the problem were an out-dated flight guide and portland approach giving an improper frequency.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT VIOLATES CLASS D AIRSPACE, THEN ENTERS THE PATTERN AT TTD, WITHOUT ESTABLISHING COM. ON FINAL, THE TWR ESTABLISHES CONTACT WITH HIM AND GIVES HIM THE PROPER FREQ.

Narrative: VFR FLT PLAN FROM LAMPSON, LAKEPORT (102), DIRECT MEDFORD (MFR) LNDG AND DEPARTING MEDFORD, DIRECT TROUTDALE (TTD). IN COM WITH ALL ATC FOR FLT FOLLOWING. PROB FREE UNTIL PORTLAND APCH CLRED TO CONTACT TROUTDALE TWR AT 120.5, VERIFIED BY FLT GUIDE (120.5). CALLED TWR 3 TIMES AT 5 MI, ON THE 45 DEG ENTRY, WITHOUT RESPONSE. PLT WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH AREA. FLT PATH TO TROUTDALE WAS UNDERNEATH JET GLIDE PATH FOR FINAL AT PORTLAND (PDX) AT 1500 FT, IN THE VICINITY OF MOUNTAINS. PLT REALIZED THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM TWR SO LOOKED FOR LIGHTS FROM TWR, BUT THERE WERE NONE. CONTINUED DOWNWIND LOOKING FOR LIGHTS, BUT NONE APPEARED. AVOIDED OTHER TFC ON BASE LEG AND FINAL. ON BASE TO FINAL PATTERN, TROUTDALE TWR RADIOED PLT ON 120.5 THAT PROPER TWR FREQ WAS 120.9. PLT WAS THEN CLRED TO LAND. LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENCE. PROB OCCURRED BECAUSE OF OUTDATED INFO IN FLT GUIDE'S SECTION ON ARPTS AND FREQS. ALSO, PORTLAND APCH PROVIDED WRONG FREQ, AND/OR NO CORRECTION OF IMPROPER READBACK OF FREQ. PLT SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED APCH CTL AGAIN FOR CLARIFICATION OF RADIO FREQ PRIOR TO ENTERING CLASS D OR TRIED CONTACTING GND FREQ OR SQUAWKING 7600 WHILE LOOKING FOR LIGHTS AT TWR. FACTORS AFFECTING QUALITY OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE, UNFAMILIARITY WITH AREA, COMPLICATED APCH TO TROUTDALE FROM SW WITH CLASS C AIRSPACE AND RTE UNDERNEATH JET GLIDE PATH TO (PDX) AT LOW ALT. THE REAL CAUSES OF THE PROB WERE AN OUT-DATED FLT GUIDE AND PORTLAND APCH GIVING AN IMPROPER FREQ.

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.