Narrative:

Dual instruction flight for my commercial license. As usual, listened to tweb on radio at home (lq NDB) and called patwas (bdr 800 #) for local WX for training flts in local area. (Try to avoid using AFSS for local VFR flight due to problems getting through, getting cut off, etc.) instrument pilot suggested doing some lndgs at nashua. Flew direct to the airport. Used boston TCA chart (as all airport information has been deleted from sectional) for navigation information and checked a/FD (6/xx-8/xx/88) for any changes at airport. Non found. Announced on CTAF/unicom 122.7, asked for active runway, no response. Proceeded to perform approximately 6 touch and goes. Fully announced activities on 122.7. Noticed several aircraft taking off, landing, holding at run up area, etc, but heard none of them on frequency. I commented on this being odd to the instrument pilot. Checked frequency again in a/FD--still 122.7. Eventually departed pattern south of more airwork. Thought nothing more of this for a few days until leafing through a copy of 'atlantic flyer' newspaper at airport coffee shop and read: 'feds man nashua tower.' checked charts and a/FD again--nothing. Checked commercial chart NOTAMS (7/fri/88)--nothing. Called bdr FSS for NOTAMS on 8/fri/88--none. Bdr FSS suggested I try bangor FSS for local NOTAMS. They had no NOTAMS on nashua either. When pressed those folks allowed as to how the tower information was dropped when it was printed as an aim supplement (loose-leaf). I suggested strongly it be reinstated until the a/FD is updated at the least. So, I've performed various maneuvers in an air traffic area west/O authorization. I thought I was diligent in my preflight preparation, but I got caught. To me, a change in airspace of this magnitude should be truly publicized, eg, letters to local pilots, nearby airports ATIS patwas, tweb, a/FD note of impending tower activation, new tower listing on CTAF. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: neither bdr nor bgr would advise the reporter that ash had an ATC tower facility in operation until he asked specifically about tower activity. The reporter made several calls after his incident, but before the airport/facility directory was updated. The FAA has not contacted the reporter. Reporter said the tower has been contracted out by the FAA, but he does not know who has the contract.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA UNAUTH LNDG AT ASH. TRAINEE WAS USING CTAF AS ADVERTISED IN ARPT FAC DIRECTORY, BUT ASH TWR WAS ACTIVE AT THE TIME.

Narrative: DUAL INSTRUCTION FLT FOR MY COMMERCIAL LICENSE. AS USUAL, LISTENED TO TWEB ON RADIO AT HOME (LQ NDB) AND CALLED PATWAS (BDR 800 #) FOR LCL WX FOR TRNING FLTS IN LCL AREA. (TRY TO AVOID USING AFSS FOR LCL VFR FLT DUE TO PROBS GETTING THROUGH, GETTING CUT OFF, ETC.) INSTR PLT SUGGESTED DOING SOME LNDGS AT NASHUA. FLEW DIRECT TO THE ARPT. USED BOSTON TCA CHART (AS ALL ARPT INFO HAS BEEN DELETED FROM SECTIONAL) FOR NAV INFO AND CHKED A/FD (6/XX-8/XX/88) FOR ANY CHANGES AT ARPT. NON FOUND. ANNOUNCED ON CTAF/UNICOM 122.7, ASKED FOR ACTIVE RWY, NO RESPONSE. PROCEEDED TO PERFORM APPROX 6 TOUCH AND GOES. FULLY ANNOUNCED ACTIVITIES ON 122.7. NOTICED SEVERAL ACFT TAKING OFF, LNDG, HOLDING AT RUN UP AREA, ETC, BUT HEARD NONE OF THEM ON FREQ. I COMMENTED ON THIS BEING ODD TO THE INSTR PLT. CHKED FREQ AGAIN IN A/FD--STILL 122.7. EVENTUALLY DEPARTED PATTERN S OF MORE AIRWORK. THOUGHT NOTHING MORE OF THIS FOR A FEW DAYS UNTIL LEAFING THROUGH A COPY OF 'ATLANTIC FLYER' NEWSPAPER AT ARPT COFFEE SHOP AND READ: 'FEDS MAN NASHUA TWR.' CHKED CHARTS AND A/FD AGAIN--NOTHING. CHKED COMMERCIAL CHART NOTAMS (7/FRI/88)--NOTHING. CALLED BDR FSS FOR NOTAMS ON 8/FRI/88--NONE. BDR FSS SUGGESTED I TRY BANGOR FSS FOR LCL NOTAMS. THEY HAD NO NOTAMS ON NASHUA EITHER. WHEN PRESSED THOSE FOLKS ALLOWED AS TO HOW THE TWR INFO WAS DROPPED WHEN IT WAS PRINTED AS AN AIM SUPPLEMENT (LOOSE-LEAF). I SUGGESTED STRONGLY IT BE REINSTATED UNTIL THE A/FD IS UPDATED AT THE LEAST. SO, I'VE PERFORMED VARIOUS MANEUVERS IN AN ATA W/O AUTHORIZATION. I THOUGHT I WAS DILIGENT IN MY PREFLT PREPARATION, BUT I GOT CAUGHT. TO ME, A CHANGE IN AIRSPACE OF THIS MAGNITUDE SHOULD BE TRULY PUBLICIZED, EG, LETTERS TO LCL PLTS, NEARBY ARPTS ATIS PATWAS, TWEB, A/FD NOTE OF IMPENDING TWR ACTIVATION, NEW TWR LISTING ON CTAF. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: NEITHER BDR NOR BGR WOULD ADVISE THE RPTR THAT ASH HAD AN ATC TWR FAC IN OPERATION UNTIL HE ASKED SPECIFICALLY ABOUT TWR ACTIVITY. THE RPTR MADE SEVERAL CALLS AFTER HIS INCIDENT, BUT BEFORE THE ARPT/FAC DIRECTORY WAS UPDATED. THE FAA HAS NOT CONTACTED THE RPTR. RPTR SAID THE TWR HAS BEEN CONTRACTED OUT BY THE FAA, BUT HE DOES NOT KNOW WHO HAS THE CONTRACT.

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