Narrative:

While in cruise flight on V198 50 NM west of the ela VOR at 5000 ft MSL, we were told by ZHU to contact ZHU on frequency 119.17. The flight was being conducted under far part 91 training and we were on an IFR flight plan. We mistakenly tuned our communication to 119.70 MHZ. We checked in with the controller who responded with 'roger.' we had not recognized our mistake at this point. About 20 mins later, we requested a climb to 7000 ft MSL due to turbulence. The controller responded with 'climb and maintain 7000 ft.' my student and I were discussing how odd it was for 'center' to be working arrs and departures with us this far from our destination (dwh). It had turned out that we had contacted hou approach. Neither had the approach controller. Soon, the controller did advise us to contact ZHU on 119.17 MHZ as we had made a mistake. We then contacted center who was quite kind in discussing our error. However, my further investigation did reveal that the approach controller had not recognized the problem either and had in fact issued us a clearance to climb while not in his airspace. The flight continued to an uneventful landing at dwh airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CFI ON TRAINING FLT WITH STUDENT IN C172 SETS IN WRONG FREQ ON COM RADIO HDOF FROM DEP TO CTR.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE FLT ON V198 50 NM W OF THE ELA VOR AT 5000 FT MSL, WE WERE TOLD BY ZHU TO CONTACT ZHU ON FREQ 119.17. THE FLT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER FAR PART 91 TRAINING AND WE WERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. WE MISTAKENLY TUNED OUR COM TO 119.70 MHZ. WE CHKED IN WITH THE CTLR WHO RESPONDED WITH 'ROGER.' WE HAD NOT RECOGNIZED OUR MISTAKE AT THIS POINT. ABOUT 20 MINS LATER, WE REQUESTED A CLB TO 7000 FT MSL DUE TO TURB. THE CTLR RESPONDED WITH 'CLB AND MAINTAIN 7000 FT.' MY STUDENT AND I WERE DISCUSSING HOW ODD IT WAS FOR 'CTR' TO BE WORKING ARRS AND DEPS WITH US THIS FAR FROM OUR DEST (DWH). IT HAD TURNED OUT THAT WE HAD CONTACTED HOU APCH. NEITHER HAD THE APCH CTLR. SOON, THE CTLR DID ADVISE US TO CONTACT ZHU ON 119.17 MHZ AS WE HAD MADE A MISTAKE. WE THEN CONTACTED CTR WHO WAS QUITE KIND IN DISCUSSING OUR ERROR. HOWEVER, MY FURTHER INVESTIGATION DID REVEAL THAT THE APCH CTLR HAD NOT RECOGNIZED THE PROB EITHER AND HAD IN FACT ISSUED US A CLRNC TO CLB WHILE NOT IN HIS AIRSPACE. THE FLT CONTINUED TO AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT DWH ARPT.

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.