Narrative:

Tower gave us a position and hold command for runway 34, asking us to be ready and keep the power up for traffic on short final. He then instructed us to 'switch to frequency 126.4.' it seemed odd to us, so we asked if he wanted us to change to it now, and he responded, 'yes, change now.' we switched as instructed, still on the runway, still with power up and from the radio traffic immediately realized he had given us new york departure control. We immediately switched back to hear his call 'start your roll now.' we did, but unfortunately it was too late to avoid a go around for the traffic on short final. The problem was his terminology. He should have said 'new departure control frequency is 124.6' not 'switch 124.6.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A COM PROB REGARDING A FREQ ASSIGNMENT EXISTED BTWN A DC9 CREW AND THE TWR CTLR CREATING A GAR BY ANOTHER ACFT AT HPN, NY.

Narrative: TWR GAVE US A POS AND HOLD COMMAND FOR RWY 34, ASKING US TO BE READY AND KEEP THE PWR UP FOR TFC ON SHORT FINAL. HE THEN INSTRUCTED US TO 'SWITCH TO FREQ 126.4.' IT SEEMED ODD TO US, SO WE ASKED IF HE WANTED US TO CHANGE TO IT NOW, AND HE RESPONDED, 'YES, CHANGE NOW.' WE SWITCHED AS INSTRUCTED, STILL ON THE RWY, STILL WITH PWR UP AND FROM THE RADIO TFC IMMEDIATELY REALIZED HE HAD GIVEN US NEW YORK DEP CTL. WE IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED BACK TO HEAR HIS CALL 'START YOUR ROLL NOW.' WE DID, BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS TOO LATE TO AVOID A GAR FOR THE TFC ON SHORT FINAL. THE PROB WAS HIS TERMINOLOGY. HE SHOULD HAVE SAID 'NEW DEP CTL FREQ IS 124.6' NOT 'SWITCH 124.6.'

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.