Flight crew tuned wrong frequency on handoff and contacted tower instead of approach.

Attributes
ACN	119322
Time
Date	198908
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ixd
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mci
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2700
ASRS Report	119322
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were level at 5000' descending into ixd. Approach assigned a new frequency 118.9. The frequency 118.3 was dialed in and we called level at 5000'. The tower responded this ixd tower. We were 5-10 mi southeast inbound for landing. He responded, 'report left base runway 35.' we reported a left base at that time. The tower then began to identify traffic and sequence us for landing. At this time we descended from 5000'. We had reached 3500' when tower told us to contact approach control on 118.9. We reported to approach. The controller asked our last assigned altitude. I responded that we had gone to tower and were being visually sequenced. The controller told us to level at 3000', and to turn to 330 degree heading. We did this. The ixd tower could have known we were to arrive IFR and advised us that we needed to contact approach. There was never any indication we were on the wrong frequency. Approach to tower is a proper sequence. The similarity of the frequencys could possibly be avoided. 118./120., for example, could be used.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW TUNED WRONG FREQ ON HANDOFF AND CONTACTED TWR INSTEAD OF APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL AT 5000' DSNDING INTO IXD. APCH ASSIGNED A NEW FREQ 118.9. THE FREQ 118.3 WAS DIALED IN AND WE CALLED LEVEL AT 5000'. THE TWR RESPONDED THIS IXD TWR. WE WERE 5-10 MI SE INBND FOR LNDG. HE RESPONDED, 'RPT LEFT BASE RWY 35.' WE RPTED A LEFT BASE AT THAT TIME. THE TWR THEN BEGAN TO IDENT TFC AND SEQUENCE US FOR LNDG. AT THIS TIME WE DSNDED FROM 5000'. WE HAD REACHED 3500' WHEN TWR TOLD US TO CONTACT APCH CTL ON 118.9. WE RPTED TO APCH. THE CTLR ASKED OUR LAST ASSIGNED ALT. I RESPONDED THAT WE HAD GONE TO TWR AND WERE BEING VISUALLY SEQUENCED. THE CTLR TOLD US TO LEVEL AT 3000', AND TO TURN TO 330 DEG HDG. WE DID THIS. THE IXD TWR COULD HAVE KNOWN WE WERE TO ARRIVE IFR AND ADVISED US THAT WE NEEDED TO CONTACT APCH. THERE WAS NEVER ANY INDICATION WE WERE ON THE WRONG FREQ. APCH TO TWR IS A PROPER SEQUENCE. THE SIMILARITY OF THE FREQS COULD POSSIBLY BE AVOIDED. 118./120., FOR EXAMPLE, COULD BE USED.

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.