Narrative:

PA32 called for taxi to active runway for departure to the bahamas. I issued taxi instructions to runway 31 (the active runway). The pilot did not do anything wrong, but he seemed a little confused, so I kept my eye on him. The traffic pattern was full and aircraft were being delayed on the ground, thus there were about 6 aircraft in the run-up area waiting for departure. X stated on my frequency (ground control) that he was ready for departure. Well, over 1/2 the users at tmb are student and/or inexperienced pilots. Being on the wrong frequency is a common mistake. When a pilot calls me on ground control frequency for a departure clearance, I usually tell them to hold their position and contact tower on the appropriate frequency. This time I merely told X to contact tower on the appropriate frequency. X taxied onto runway 31 without contacting anyone. The local controller sent Y (a C172) around on 1/2 mi final. After several hails from both myself and the local controller, X responded on local control frequency. A pilot deviation was filed. It was discovered later that the pilot was a foreigner and language may have been a factor. In the future, I will always emphasize to pilots to hold their position when changing to the appropriate frequency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TMB LCL CTLR OBSERVES FOREIGN PLT IN A PA32 TAXI ONTO THE RWY AND ISSUES A GAR TO A C172 ON SHORT FINAL.

Narrative: PA32 CALLED FOR TAXI TO ACTIVE RWY FOR DEP TO THE BAHAMAS. I ISSUED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO RWY 31 (THE ACTIVE RWY). THE PLT DID NOT DO ANYTHING WRONG, BUT HE SEEMED A LITTLE CONFUSED, SO I KEPT MY EYE ON HIM. THE TFC PATTERN WAS FULL AND ACFT WERE BEING DELAYED ON THE GND, THUS THERE WERE ABOUT 6 ACFT IN THE RUN-UP AREA WAITING FOR DEP. X STATED ON MY FREQ (GND CTL) THAT HE WAS READY FOR DEP. WELL, OVER 1/2 THE USERS AT TMB ARE STUDENT AND/OR INEXPERIENCED PLTS. BEING ON THE WRONG FREQ IS A COMMON MISTAKE. WHEN A PLT CALLS ME ON GND CTL FREQ FOR A DEP CLRNC, I USUALLY TELL THEM TO HOLD THEIR POS AND CONTACT TWR ON THE APPROPRIATE FREQ. THIS TIME I MERELY TOLD X TO CONTACT TWR ON THE APPROPRIATE FREQ. X TAXIED ONTO RWY 31 WITHOUT CONTACTING ANYONE. THE LCL CTLR SENT Y (A C172) AROUND ON 1/2 MI FINAL. AFTER SEVERAL HAILS FROM BOTH MYSELF AND THE LCL CTLR, X RESPONDED ON LCL CTL FREQ. A PLTDEV WAS FILED. IT WAS DISCOVERED LATER THAT THE PLT WAS A FOREIGNER AND LANGUAGE MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL ALWAYS EMPHASIZE TO PLTS TO HOLD THEIR POS WHEN CHANGING TO THE APPROPRIATE 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.