Narrative:

Bismarck is a tower airport with closure times for the tower. At AM50, airport is uncontrolled with a CTAF and unicom frequency. Abbreviated ATIS said to use CTAF. Captain directed first officer to use unicom. As we taxied out we saw no aircraft movement on or around field. Prior to crossing hold short, first officer called on unicom for departure. As we took the runway we saw lights facing us. We stopped and held our position. Someone, either tower or the aircraft at the opposite end, called and talked about the conflict. The small aircraft cleared and someone, either the tower or the small aircraft told us to switch 118.3 (CTAF). We talked to tower, they said they were still closed and the small aircraft had cleared the runway. We had taken runway 13 which the winds were favoring. Although ATIS talked about CTAF 118.3, this is an unusual occurrence for a part 121 carrier. Clear notes could help. On approach plates, do not list both CTAF and unicom in the upper communication section. Make the unicom a note elsewhere. When only a unicom exists, (no CTAF) list that in the primary communication section.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG FLT TAKES RWY WHILE ON FREQ CHANGE WRONG. FREQ GUARDED INCORRECT.

Narrative: BISMARCK IS A TWR ARPT WITH CLOSURE TIMES FOR THE TWR. AT AM50, ARPT IS UNCTLED WITH A CTAF AND UNICOM FREQ. ABBREVIATED ATIS SAID TO USE CTAF. CAPT DIRECTED FO TO USE UNICOM. AS WE TAXIED OUT WE SAW NO ACFT MOVEMENT ON OR AROUND FIELD. PRIOR TO XING HOLD SHORT, FO CALLED ON UNICOM FOR DEP. AS WE TOOK THE RWY WE SAW LIGHTS FACING US. WE STOPPED AND HELD OUR POS. SOMEONE, EITHER TWR OR THE ACFT AT THE OPPOSITE END, CALLED AND TALKED ABOUT THE CONFLICT. THE SMA CLRED AND SOMEONE, EITHER THE TWR OR THE SMA TOLD US TO SWITCH 118.3 (CTAF). WE TALKED TO TWR, THEY SAID THEY WERE STILL CLOSED AND THE SMA HAD CLRED THE RWY. WE HAD TAKEN RWY 13 WHICH THE WINDS WERE FAVORING. ALTHOUGH ATIS TALKED ABOUT CTAF 118.3, THIS IS AN UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE FOR A PART 121 CARRIER. CLR NOTES COULD HELP. ON APCH PLATES, DO NOT LIST BOTH CTAF AND UNICOM IN THE UPPER COM SECTION. MAKE THE UNICOM A NOTE ELSEWHERE. WHEN ONLY A UNICOM EXISTS, (NO CTAF) LIST THAT IN THE PRIMARY COM SECTION.

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.