Narrative:

IFR flight cavu. Decided to land ZZZ for fuel. Unfamiliar with ZZZ field. No AWOS noted on approach plate; so I dialed up ZZZ1 ATIS for WX. I used communication #2 and after receiving WX; stored the frequency and dialed in CTAF. Landed without incident; fueled and taxied to take off. Turned on communication #2 and announced my intentions to depart runway xx; left turn to downwind and then northwest to destination on the frequency that came up automatically on the radio thinking it was CTAF. Hearing no traffic; I departed and followed my route. Upon reaching 1000 ft AGL; I began to hear ZZZ1 ATIS. Realizing I was in the wrong frequency; I looked up CTAF on the approach plate and changed frequency. At this moment; I was approaching the northwest end of runway. Another aircraft was on final and we had a near miss. Upon spotting the other aircraft coming directly at us; I turned sharply west as the other aircraft passed 100 ft over us. Needless to say; the other pilot was justifiably very angry over the radio. The important lesson learned is to always doublechk frequencys at an unfamiliar field. I also learned an important lesson regarding my radio. When it is turned on; a stored frequency will come up and not the last frequency used as you might think.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LIGHT PLANE PILOT; TAKING OFF AT A NON-TOWER FIELD; EXPERIENCED AN NMAC WITH AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION AIRCRAFT WHEN HE FAILED TO USE THE PROPER CTAF.

Narrative: IFR FLT CAVU. DECIDED TO LAND ZZZ FOR FUEL. UNFAMILIAR WITH ZZZ FIELD. NO AWOS NOTED ON APCH PLATE; SO I DIALED UP ZZZ1 ATIS FOR WX. I USED COM #2 AND AFTER RECEIVING WX; STORED THE FREQ AND DIALED IN CTAF. LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT; FUELED AND TAXIED TO TAKE OFF. TURNED ON COM #2 AND ANNOUNCED MY INTENTIONS TO DEPART RWY XX; L TURN TO DOWNWIND AND THEN NW TO DEST ON THE FREQ THAT CAME UP AUTOMATICALLY ON THE RADIO THINKING IT WAS CTAF. HEARING NO TFC; I DEPARTED AND FOLLOWED MY RTE. UPON REACHING 1000 FT AGL; I BEGAN TO HEAR ZZZ1 ATIS. REALIZING I WAS IN THE WRONG FREQ; I LOOKED UP CTAF ON THE APCH PLATE AND CHANGED FREQ. AT THIS MOMENT; I WAS APCHING THE NW END OF RWY. ANOTHER ACFT WAS ON FINAL AND WE HAD A NEAR MISS. UPON SPOTTING THE OTHER ACFT COMING DIRECTLY AT US; I TURNED SHARPLY W AS THE OTHER ACFT PASSED 100 FT OVER US. NEEDLESS TO SAY; THE OTHER PLT WAS JUSTIFIABLY VERY ANGRY OVER THE RADIO. THE IMPORTANT LESSON LEARNED IS TO ALWAYS DOUBLECHK FREQS AT AN UNFAMILIAR FIELD. I ALSO LEARNED AN IMPORTANT LESSON REGARDING MY RADIO. WHEN IT IS TURNED ON; A STORED FREQ WILL COME UP AND NOT THE LAST FREQ USED AS YOU MIGHT THINK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.