Narrative:

On the morning of sep/xa/00, I departed ida for VFR flight to jac. The charts and my private 'guide to northwestern airports' showed jac to be a non tower airport with CTAF. The FSS briefer did not mention any tower at jac. On arrival, I called out on unicom for landing advisories and received no response. I announced my intention to overfly the field and check for wind. A bizjet 60 mi out also announced over unicom and asked me to relay wind information. I maneuvered to enter the landing pattern on a 45 degree entry and spotted a KA70 on downwind. I announced my entry into the downwind over unicom and only then did someone come on to unicom and advise me to 'contact the tower on 118.05.' as neither the briefer nor the charts mentioned any tower, I was surprised. I realized that I should not be in the pattern without the tower's permission and exited the pattern to the north while calling the tower, who seemed unaware of my transgression and cleared me to land. After inquiring on the ground, I was advised that the tower had been operational since jun/00 and that I should have checked the official AFD. In future, I feel that this kind of change should be in a NOTAM until it is corrected on the charts. Nevertheless, I entered the pattern without contacting the tower and the blame must rest with me. I would also suggest that the tower should at least monitor the unicom frequency posted on the charts and advise pilots who announce on unicom to contact the tower.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT ENTERED JAC CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: ON THE MORNING OF SEP/XA/00, I DEPARTED IDA FOR VFR FLT TO JAC. THE CHARTS AND MY PVT 'GUIDE TO NORTHWESTERN ARPTS' SHOWED JAC TO BE A NON TWR ARPT WITH CTAF. THE FSS BRIEFER DID NOT MENTION ANY TWR AT JAC. ON ARR, I CALLED OUT ON UNICOM FOR LNDG ADVISORIES AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. I ANNOUNCED MY INTENTION TO OVERFLY THE FIELD AND CHK FOR WIND. A BIZJET 60 MI OUT ALSO ANNOUNCED OVER UNICOM AND ASKED ME TO RELAY WIND INFO. I MANEUVERED TO ENTER THE LNDG PATTERN ON A 45 DEG ENTRY AND SPOTTED A KA70 ON DOWNWIND. I ANNOUNCED MY ENTRY INTO THE DOWNWIND OVER UNICOM AND ONLY THEN DID SOMEONE COME ON TO UNICOM AND ADVISE ME TO 'CONTACT THE TWR ON 118.05.' AS NEITHER THE BRIEFER NOR THE CHARTS MENTIONED ANY TWR, I WAS SURPRISED. I REALIZED THAT I SHOULD NOT BE IN THE PATTERN WITHOUT THE TWR'S PERMISSION AND EXITED THE PATTERN TO THE N WHILE CALLING THE TWR, WHO SEEMED UNAWARE OF MY TRANSGRESSION AND CLRED ME TO LAND. AFTER INQUIRING ON THE GND, I WAS ADVISED THAT THE TWR HAD BEEN OPERATIONAL SINCE JUN/00 AND THAT I SHOULD HAVE CHKED THE OFFICIAL AFD. IN FUTURE, I FEEL THAT THIS KIND OF CHANGE SHOULD BE IN A NOTAM UNTIL IT IS CORRECTED ON THE CHARTS. NEVERTHELESS, I ENTERED THE PATTERN WITHOUT CONTACTING THE TWR AND THE BLAME MUST REST WITH ME. I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST THAT THE TWR SHOULD AT LEAST MONITOR THE UNICOM FREQ POSTED ON THE CHARTS AND ADVISE PLTS WHO ANNOUNCE ON UNICOM TO CONTACT THE TWR.

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.