Narrative:

Because it was late at night, spi tower was closed and so was their approach control. I filed my flight plan (IFR) with st louis FSS over the phone and I copied my clearance from them over the radio prior to takeoff. I was instructed to contact kansas city ARTCC on 127.27 after takeoff. I took off on runway 22 and turned north to climb out. I had been cleared to 5000 ft. My radio was not capable of a .27 frequency, but from prior experience and instruction, the agency could be contacted on a .25 or .50 frequency. I tried both, but no contact. I figured that I would have a better chance of reaching them at a higher altitude. I was calling them on climb out, but no contact. I finally called st louis FSS and informed them of the problem. I was given a different frequency. I told FSS about my radio's inability to dial in the frequency assigned but that I had hoped to reach them on the other frequencys. FSS said that I should have notified them of my inability to dial in the assigned altitude frequency. Since it's a common practice to dial in the closest frequency, I suggest that you put the word out to the effect this practice is wrong. If a pilot cannot dial in the exact frequency that he is given, he is apparently supposed to say so.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ACCEPTED AN IFR CLRNC WITH A FREQ ASSIGNMENT KNOWING HE DID NOT HAVE THE FREQ ON HIS COM RADIO. SAYS HE THOUGHT IF HE GOT CLOSE IT WOULD BE GOOD ENOUGH.

Narrative: BECAUSE IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT, SPI TWR WAS CLOSED AND SO WAS THEIR APCH CTL. I FILED MY FLT PLAN (IFR) WITH ST LOUIS FSS OVER THE PHONE AND I COPIED MY CLRNC FROM THEM OVER THE RADIO PRIOR TO TKOF. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT KANSAS CITY ARTCC ON 127.27 AFTER TKOF. I TOOK OFF ON RWY 22 AND TURNED N TO CLB OUT. I HAD BEEN CLRED TO 5000 FT. MY RADIO WAS NOT CAPABLE OF A .27 FREQ, BUT FROM PRIOR EXPERIENCE AND INSTRUCTION, THE AGENCY COULD BE CONTACTED ON A .25 OR .50 FREQ. I TRIED BOTH, BUT NO CONTACT. I FIGURED THAT I WOULD HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF REACHING THEM AT A HIGHER ALT. I WAS CALLING THEM ON CLBOUT, BUT NO CONTACT. I FINALLY CALLED ST LOUIS FSS AND INFORMED THEM OF THE PROBLEM. I WAS GIVEN A DIFFERENT FREQ. I TOLD FSS ABOUT MY RADIO'S INABILITY TO DIAL IN THE FREQ ASSIGNED BUT THAT I HAD HOPED TO REACH THEM ON THE OTHER FREQS. FSS SAID THAT I SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED THEM OF MY INABILITY TO DIAL IN THE ASSIGNED ALT FREQ. SINCE IT'S A COMMON PRACTICE TO DIAL IN THE CLOSEST FREQ, I SUGGEST THAT YOU PUT THE WORD OUT TO THE EFFECT THIS PRACTICE IS WRONG. IF A PLT CANNOT DIAL IN THE EXACT FREQ THAT HE IS GIVEN, HE IS APPARENTLY SUPPOSED TO SAY SO.

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.