C172 AND MILITARY C-130 ALMOST COLLIDED ON THE GND AT PUB.
Synopsis
C172 AND MILITARY C-130 ALMOST COLLIDED ON THE GND AT PUB.
Narrative
I WAS WITH AN INSTRUMENT STUDENT COMPLETING THE X-COUNTRY TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR HIS INSTRUMENT RATING. WE STOPPED AT PUB FOR FUEL AND A BREAK. BY THE TIME WE WERE READY TO PICK UP OUR IFR CLRNC; THE TWR WAS CLOSING FOR THE NIGHT AND ADVISED US TO CALL ATC FOR OUR CLRNC AND THAT WE COULD ANNOUNCE OUR DEP ON CTAF. WHILE GETTING OUR CLRNC; I NOTED THAT THE CTLR MENTIONED A TARGET MOVING WEST OF THE VOR AT 500 FT AGL. MY STUDENT ANNOUNCED OUT DEP ON UNICOM AND STARTED OUR TAKEOFF ROLL. SHORTLY AFTER COMMENCING OUR ROLL; I NOTICED SEVERAL LIGHTS AT 2 O'CLOCK POS WITH NO RELATIVE MOTION AND YELLED AT MY STUDENT TO STOP. HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF AND STOPPED ABOUT 500 FEET SHORT OF RWY 26L (WE WERE ON RWY 35) AND WE WATCHED THE C-130 HERCULES ROLL BY AND STOP IN ANOTHER 1000 FEET. WE THEN TOOK OFF AND COMPLETED THE FLIGHT WITHOUT INCIDENT; THINKING THAT THE C130 WAS ON THE WRONG FREQUENCY. THE NEXT DAY; I CHECKED THE ARPT DIRECTORY AND DISCOVERED THAT THE AFTER HOURS CTAF WAS NOT UNICOM. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE: MY STUDENT AND I NORMALLY FLY FROM AN UNCONTROLLED ARPT SO I DIDN'T DOUBLE CHECK HIS CHOICE OF THE UNICOM FREQUENCY TO ANNOUNCE ON (EVEN THOUGH I KNOW BETTER). THE LATE HOUR -- WE BOTH WORKED AT OUR DAY JOBS. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: IN THE FUTURE I WILL DOUBLE CHECK ALL FREQUENCY SELECTIONS; BOTH MY STUDENT'S AND MINE. I WILL WRITE AN ARTICLE FOR MY CLUB'S NEWSLETTER REVIEWING THE USAGE OF CTAF AND UNICOM AT CTL TOWERED AIRPORTS.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER INDICATED THAT THEY WERE USING THE NOS FLIP CHARTS. THE PLTS HAD CONSULTED THE ARPT PLATE PAGE AND DID NOT NOTE ANY CTAF FREQUENCY; SO THEY DEFAULTED TO THE UNICOM FREQUENCY. ISTR PLT MENTIONED THAT THE EXTRA COST OF THE COMMERCIAL CHARTING SERVICE COULD NOT BE JUSTIFIED.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.