Narrative:

Abcxx departed runway 18L with an initial routing of J42 eastbound and checked in on the west departure frequency. Abcxx was quickly instructed to contact the east departure controller on the proper frequency. Thunderstorms were in the area; and the facility was using many non-standard operations to help traffic avoid the WX and get on course as soon as able. The last thing controllers needed was aircraft on the wrong frequency because of a confusing departure procedure. The mem 7 departure needs to be rewritten more clearly so that pilots will more easily identify the proper departure frequency. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that this pilot error is as common among air carrier pilots as it is with GA pilots. The reporter stated that an operational error occurred after a pilot departing west contacted TRACON on an east frequency and the controller not listening to the call sign closely heard what he wanted to hear and turned the wbound traffic toward the east into an east departing aircraft off the parallel runway. Reporter stated they felt very lucky that the pilots were VMC and able to separate themselves thus preventing an airborne accident. The reporter stated that the chart format is confusing and should be changed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CTLR RPTS THAT PLTS DEPARTING ON THE MEM 7 DEP FREQUENTLY CONTACT TRACON ON AN INCORRECT FREQ.

Narrative: ABCXX DEPARTED RWY 18L WITH AN INITIAL ROUTING OF J42 EBOUND AND CHKED IN ON THE W DEP FREQ. ABCXX WAS QUICKLY INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT THE E DEP CTLR ON THE PROPER FREQ. TSTMS WERE IN THE AREA; AND THE FACILITY WAS USING MANY NON-STANDARD OPS TO HELP TFC AVOID THE WX AND GET ON COURSE AS SOON AS ABLE. THE LAST THING CTLRS NEEDED WAS ACFT ON THE WRONG FREQ BECAUSE OF A CONFUSING DEP PROC. THE MEM 7 DEP NEEDS TO BE REWRITTEN MORE CLRLY SO THAT PLTS WILL MORE EASILY IDENT THE PROPER DEP FREQ. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THIS PLT ERROR IS AS COMMON AMONG ACR PLTS AS IT IS WITH GA PLTS. THE RPTR STATED THAT AN OPERROR OCCURRED AFTER A PLT DEPARTING W CONTACTED TRACON ON AN E FREQ AND THE CTLR NOT LISTENING TO THE CALL SIGN CLOSELY HEARD WHAT HE WANTED TO HEAR AND TURNED THE WBOUND TFC TOWARD THE E INTO AN E DEPARTING ACFT OFF THE PARALLEL RWY. RPTR STATED THEY FELT VERY LUCKY THAT THE PLTS WERE VMC AND ABLE TO SEPARATE THEMSELVES THUS PREVENTING AN AIRBORNE ACCIDENT. THE RPTR STATED THAT THE CHART FORMAT IS CONFUSING AND SHOULD BE CHANGED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.