Narrative:

Existing the lax special use VFR airspace heading, 105 degrees at 3500', called lgb tower to report location and intentions (landing) with ATIS and descending to pattern altitude. Have made this approach many times. Normal procedure is to expect left downwind to 25L. Inadvertently read tower frequency for 25R and flew pattern for 25L. On entering 25L both tower and I realized the error and at same time I did a 360 degree turn to the right informing the tower to avoid another downwind plane (1500' sep). Switched frequency to 25L tower and completed the approach and landing. The inadvertent error of frequency and position was a lack of diligence on may part, overconfidence of having flown the approach many times, misreading the proper tower frequency. In that the airport has 2 tower frequencys depending up runway, this incident demonstrates that even an experienced pilot can use the wrong tower.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGB ARPT HAS 2 TWR FREQS DEPENDING ON RWYS. REPORTER USED WRONG TWR FREQ ON APCH TO ARPT.

Narrative: EXISTING THE LAX SPECIAL USE VFR AIRSPACE HDG, 105 DEGS AT 3500', CALLED LGB TWR TO RPT LOCATION AND INTENTIONS (LNDG) WITH ATIS AND DSNDING TO PATTERN ALT. HAVE MADE THIS APCH MANY TIMES. NORMAL PROC IS TO EXPECT LEFT DOWNWIND TO 25L. INADVERTENTLY READ TWR FREQ FOR 25R AND FLEW PATTERN FOR 25L. ON ENTERING 25L BOTH TWR AND I REALIZED THE ERROR AND AT SAME TIME I DID A 360 DEG TURN TO THE RIGHT INFORMING THE TWR TO AVOID ANOTHER DOWNWIND PLANE (1500' SEP). SWITCHED FREQ TO 25L TWR AND COMPLETED THE APCH AND LNDG. THE INADVERTENT ERROR OF FREQ AND POS WAS A LACK OF DILIGENCE ON MAY PART, OVERCONFIDENCE OF HAVING FLOWN THE APCH MANY TIMES, MISREADING THE PROPER TWR FREQ. IN THAT THE ARPT HAS 2 TWR FREQS DEPENDING UP RWY, THIS INCIDENT DEMONSTRATES THAT EVEN AN EXPERIENCED PLT CAN USE THE WRONG TWR.

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