Narrative:

Approaching airport, I attempted to obtain airport advisory on 123.0 MHZ, the unicom frequency listed on detroit sectional chart. Obtaining none, I observed that wind favored runway 25, so I announced myself over field, left downwind, base and final. On short final, observing light twin on landing rollout on runway 7, I initiated a go around, and was advised by local FBO that FSS and CTAF use 123.6, so I announced on 123.6 and proceeded to normal, but downwind landing on runway 7. Discussion with FSS personnel following incident disclosed that this problem occurs approximately 4 times daily, and has been reported by them to FAA with negative results. FSS further advised that many of the aircraft using 123.0 are also commercial or military, flown by highly experienced pilots. This incident could have been avoided in several ways: 1) publish the CTAF in magenta with other airport data, rather than with the FSS frequency. Most inbound pilots are more concerned with advising and monitoring other aircraft than with communicating with FSS. 2) paint CTAF frequency on the ramp, as is local custom. 3) FSS could monitor 123.0 to advise aircraft that 123.6 is CTAF. 4) when providing wind and traffic information to inbound requesting aircraft, FSS could advise 'wind favoring runway 25, but have departing/landing traffic runway 7,' rather than 'active runway 7,' (which encourages downwind lndgs and departures). Although the sectional chart legend and aim clearly state that 123.6 is CTAF at FSS airports, too many of us pilots are using the frequency given with airport data rather than that given with the 'radio aids to navigation and communication' box. The threat to life is too great to perpetuate this confusion. (Apparently this situation appears at numerous pilot-controled, FSS-equipped fields.)

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA-SMA GA-SMA CLOSE PROX WHILE LNDG OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

Narrative: APCHING ARPT, I ATTEMPTED TO OBTAIN ARPT ADVISORY ON 123.0 MHZ, THE UNICOM FREQ LISTED ON DETROIT SECTIONAL CHART. OBTAINING NONE, I OBSERVED THAT WIND FAVORED RWY 25, SO I ANNOUNCED MYSELF OVER FIELD, LEFT DOWNWIND, BASE AND FINAL. ON SHORT FINAL, OBSERVING LIGHT TWIN ON LNDG ROLLOUT ON RWY 7, I INITIATED A GO AROUND, AND WAS ADVISED BY LCL FBO THAT FSS AND CTAF USE 123.6, SO I ANNOUNCED ON 123.6 AND PROCEEDED TO NORMAL, BUT DOWNWIND LNDG ON RWY 7. DISCUSSION WITH FSS PERSONNEL FOLLOWING INCIDENT DISCLOSED THAT THIS PROB OCCURS APPROX 4 TIMES DAILY, AND HAS BEEN RPTED BY THEM TO FAA WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. FSS FURTHER ADVISED THAT MANY OF THE ACFT USING 123.0 ARE ALSO COMMERCIAL OR MIL, FLOWN BY HIGHLY EXPERIENCED PLTS. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IN SEVERAL WAYS: 1) PUBLISH THE CTAF IN MAGENTA WITH OTHER ARPT DATA, RATHER THAN WITH THE FSS FREQ. MOST INBND PLTS ARE MORE CONCERNED WITH ADVISING AND MONITORING OTHER ACFT THAN WITH COMMUNICATING WITH FSS. 2) PAINT CTAF FREQ ON THE RAMP, AS IS LCL CUSTOM. 3) FSS COULD MONITOR 123.0 TO ADVISE ACFT THAT 123.6 IS CTAF. 4) WHEN PROVIDING WIND AND TFC INFO TO INBND REQUESTING ACFT, FSS COULD ADVISE 'WIND FAVORING RWY 25, BUT HAVE DEPARTING/LNDG TFC RWY 7,' RATHER THAN 'ACTIVE RWY 7,' (WHICH ENCOURAGES DOWNWIND LNDGS AND DEPS). ALTHOUGH THE SECTIONAL CHART LEGEND AND AIM CLEARLY STATE THAT 123.6 IS CTAF AT FSS ARPTS, TOO MANY OF US PLTS ARE USING THE FREQ GIVEN WITH ARPT DATA RATHER THAN THAT GIVEN WITH THE 'RADIO AIDS TO NAV AND COM' BOX. THE THREAT TO LIFE IS TOO GREAT TO PERPETUATE THIS CONFUSION. (APPARENTLY THIS SITUATION APPEARS AT NUMEROUS PLT-CTLED, FSS-EQUIPPED FIELDS.)

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.