Reporter objects to dual tower frequencys at msp both operated by single controller during slack hou...

Attributes
ACN	111836
Time
Date	198905
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	111836
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Msp tower facility persists in using dual frequencys (126.7-123.95) with one controller during non-peak periods. This situation has existed for some time, and on one occasion caused confusion with similar flight numbers almost causing a runway incursion. Pilots must remain in the entire communication loop in the TCA environment, and this split tower frequency policy is unsafe and contrary to the inclusion of flight crews in the whole operation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: during taxi recently, tower controller confused our flight with another and we would have taken the runway in error had we not double checked the flight numbers with the tower controller. The alternate tower frequency is not chart published but is given on ATIS. I can accept split airport operation and north/south tower frequencys but one controller handling both frequencys causes confusion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER OBJECTS TO DUAL TWR FREQS AT MSP BOTH OPERATED BY SINGLE CTLR DURING SLACK HOURS.

Narrative: MSP TWR FACILITY PERSISTS IN USING DUAL FREQS (126.7-123.95) WITH ONE CTLR DURING NON-PEAK PERIODS. THIS SITUATION HAS EXISTED FOR SOME TIME, AND ON ONE OCCASION CAUSED CONFUSION WITH SIMILAR FLT NUMBERS ALMOST CAUSING A RWY INCURSION. PLTS MUST REMAIN IN THE ENTIRE COM LOOP IN THE TCA ENVIRONMENT, AND THIS SPLIT TWR FREQ POLICY IS UNSAFE AND CONTRARY TO THE INCLUSION OF FLT CREWS IN THE WHOLE OPERATION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: DURING TAXI RECENTLY, TWR CTLR CONFUSED OUR FLT WITH ANOTHER AND WE WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE RWY IN ERROR HAD WE NOT DOUBLE CHECKED THE FLT NUMBERS WITH THE TWR CTLR. THE ALTERNATE TWR FREQ IS NOT CHART PUBLISHED BUT IS GIVEN ON ATIS. I CAN ACCEPT SPLIT ARPT OPERATION AND N/S TWR FREQS BUT ONE CTLR HANDLING BOTH FREQS CAUSES CONFUSION.

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.

Reporter objects to dual tower frequencys at msp both operated by single controller during slack hours.