Narrative:

As PIC in aircraft 1; a C172N; I had filed a VFR flight plan from psf to ZZZ at approximately XA00 with FSS. After having completed the preflight inspection; the C172N was started and both navigation/communication #1 and navigation/communication #2 radios were tested for transmission and reception quality with psf unicom on 122.7. Unicom verified loud and clear transmission from both radios and both navigation radios were receiving the localizer 26 identify on 108.3 loud and clear. I then taxied from the ramp via taxiway B to taxiway C where I stopped at the hold line for runway 32; announced my intention to cross runway 32 at taxiway C; scanned for any traffic; and taxied the full length of taxiway C to the hold line short of runway 26. I performed my pre-takeoff run-up without incident. Communication #1 had already been set to 122.7; the CTAF and unicom frequency to psf. I then set communication #2 for 122.05; the frequency for the rco to FSS; and called to activate my VFR flight plan. Psf unicom called me to notify me that I was still on their frequency. I acknowledged and thanked them and switched to communication #2. I called FSS twice with no response; so I called on my cell phone to activate my flight plan as of XB55 (time was XB50 when I contacted FSS). After shutting off and stowing my cell phone; I announced my intention to depart runway 26. I knew that one of the C152 trainers with an instructor on board had been practicing touch-and-go lndgs; so I listened to hear if there was any response to my broadcast. I heard no response; so I assumed that the C152 had departed the pattern for the practice area and then I scanned the area for traffic and taxied into position to depart runway 26. The C152 trainer with student and instructor on board were actually on a short final to runway 26 when I taxied onto the end of the runway. As I reset the rudder trim to neutral (particular aircraft rudder trim always kicks to left during taxi) and performed a quick scan of the trim and radio settings; I noticed that I was still on communication #2 (set to 122.05) and had not actually broadcast my intention to move onto the runway. As I switched to communication #1; I heard the instructor announce that the C152 was going around and at the same time I heard and saw them pass overhead (approximately 100-125 ft above me). In speaking with the instructor later that day; both he and the student had seen me move onto the runway and had correctly assumed that I had forgotten to change radios. The situation occurred because I allowed the distraction of having to contact FSS via phone rather than by radio interrupt my normal sequence of operation. I failed to verify that I was in fact transmitting on the correct frequency. I assumed that the other aircraft involved had departed the area without having verified that information; and I failed to scan the approach path to runway 26 enough for not knowing if the C152 was or was not still in the pattern whether or not I received a response. I potentially endangered 3 people and it could have been more. Fortunately; for the student and I; the instructor saw and interpreted the situation correctly; took corrective action; and averted a possible accident. From this incident; I have learned several important lessons: 1) never allow a distraction to take the place of the proper sequence of events. 2) always verify that I am transmitting on the correct frequency. 3) if there were other aircraft in the area previously and no response or position reports are being received; try the other comrdo in case the first communication had failed and then contact unicom for another radio check as I had when I was on the ramp. 4) whether or not there were other aircraft in the area previously; be extremely diligent in scanning the pattern and the final approach path to assure (not assume) there are no aircraft attempting to land.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C172 TRANSMITS INTENTION TO TKOF AT NON TOWERED ARPT ON WRONG FREQUENCY. C152 ON SHORT FINAL MUST GAR.

Narrative: AS PIC IN ACFT 1; A C172N; I HAD FILED A VFR FLT PLAN FROM PSF TO ZZZ AT APPROX XA00 WITH FSS. AFTER HAVING COMPLETED THE PREFLT INSPECTION; THE C172N WAS STARTED AND BOTH NAV/COM #1 AND NAV/COM #2 RADIOS WERE TESTED FOR XMISSION AND RECEPTION QUALITY WITH PSF UNICOM ON 122.7. UNICOM VERIFIED LOUD AND CLR XMISSION FROM BOTH RADIOS AND BOTH NAV RADIOS WERE RECEIVING THE LOC 26 IDENT ON 108.3 LOUD AND CLR. I THEN TAXIED FROM THE RAMP VIA TXWY B TO TXWY C WHERE I STOPPED AT THE HOLD LINE FOR RWY 32; ANNOUNCED MY INTENTION TO CROSS RWY 32 AT TXWY C; SCANNED FOR ANY TFC; AND TAXIED THE FULL LENGTH OF TXWY C TO THE HOLD LINE SHORT OF RWY 26. I PERFORMED MY PRE-TKOF RUN-UP WITHOUT INCIDENT. COM #1 HAD ALREADY BEEN SET TO 122.7; THE CTAF AND UNICOM FREQ TO PSF. I THEN SET COM #2 FOR 122.05; THE FREQ FOR THE RCO TO FSS; AND CALLED TO ACTIVATE MY VFR FLT PLAN. PSF UNICOM CALLED ME TO NOTIFY ME THAT I WAS STILL ON THEIR FREQ. I ACKNOWLEDGED AND THANKED THEM AND SWITCHED TO COM #2. I CALLED FSS TWICE WITH NO RESPONSE; SO I CALLED ON MY CELL PHONE TO ACTIVATE MY FLT PLAN AS OF XB55 (TIME WAS XB50 WHEN I CONTACTED FSS). AFTER SHUTTING OFF AND STOWING MY CELL PHONE; I ANNOUNCED MY INTENTION TO DEPART RWY 26. I KNEW THAT ONE OF THE C152 TRAINERS WITH AN INSTRUCTOR ON BOARD HAD BEEN PRACTICING TOUCH-AND-GO LNDGS; SO I LISTENED TO HEAR IF THERE WAS ANY RESPONSE TO MY BROADCAST. I HEARD NO RESPONSE; SO I ASSUMED THAT THE C152 HAD DEPARTED THE PATTERN FOR THE PRACTICE AREA AND THEN I SCANNED THE AREA FOR TFC AND TAXIED INTO POS TO DEPART RWY 26. THE C152 TRAINER WITH STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR ON BOARD WERE ACTUALLY ON A SHORT FINAL TO RWY 26 WHEN I TAXIED ONTO THE END OF THE RWY. AS I RESET THE RUDDER TRIM TO NEUTRAL (PARTICULAR ACFT RUDDER TRIM ALWAYS KICKS TO L DURING TAXI) AND PERFORMED A QUICK SCAN OF THE TRIM AND RADIO SETTINGS; I NOTICED THAT I WAS STILL ON COM #2 (SET TO 122.05) AND HAD NOT ACTUALLY BROADCAST MY INTENTION TO MOVE ONTO THE RWY. AS I SWITCHED TO COM #1; I HEARD THE INSTRUCTOR ANNOUNCE THAT THE C152 WAS GOING AROUND AND AT THE SAME TIME I HEARD AND SAW THEM PASS OVERHEAD (APPROX 100-125 FT ABOVE ME). IN SPEAKING WITH THE INSTRUCTOR LATER THAT DAY; BOTH HE AND THE STUDENT HAD SEEN ME MOVE ONTO THE RWY AND HAD CORRECTLY ASSUMED THAT I HAD FORGOTTEN TO CHANGE RADIOS. THE SITUATION OCCURRED BECAUSE I ALLOWED THE DISTR OF HAVING TO CONTACT FSS VIA PHONE RATHER THAN BY RADIO INTERRUPT MY NORMAL SEQUENCE OF OP. I FAILED TO VERIFY THAT I WAS IN FACT XMITTING ON THE CORRECT FREQ. I ASSUMED THAT THE OTHER ACFT INVOLVED HAD DEPARTED THE AREA WITHOUT HAVING VERIFIED THAT INFO; AND I FAILED TO SCAN THE APCH PATH TO RWY 26 ENOUGH FOR NOT KNOWING IF THE C152 WAS OR WAS NOT STILL IN THE PATTERN WHETHER OR NOT I RECEIVED A RESPONSE. I POTENTIALLY ENDANGERED 3 PEOPLE AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN MORE. FORTUNATELY; FOR THE STUDENT AND I; THE INSTRUCTOR SAW AND INTERPED THE SITUATION CORRECTLY; TOOK CORRECTIVE ACTION; AND AVERTED A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT. FROM THIS INCIDENT; I HAVE LEARNED SEVERAL IMPORTANT LESSONS: 1) NEVER ALLOW A DISTR TO TAKE THE PLACE OF THE PROPER SEQUENCE OF EVENTS. 2) ALWAYS VERIFY THAT I AM XMITTING ON THE CORRECT FREQ. 3) IF THERE WERE OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA PREVIOUSLY AND NO RESPONSE OR POS RPTS ARE BEING RECEIVED; TRY THE OTHER COMRDO IN CASE THE FIRST COM HAD FAILED AND THEN CONTACT UNICOM FOR ANOTHER RADIO CHK AS I HAD WHEN I WAS ON THE RAMP. 4) WHETHER OR NOT THERE WERE OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA PREVIOUSLY; BE EXTREMELY DILIGENT IN SCANNING THE PATTERN AND THE FINAL APCH PATH TO ASSURE (NOT ASSUME) THERE ARE NO ACFT ATTEMPTING TO LAND.

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.