 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Due to frequency congestion and confusion caused by numerous aircraft with similar call signs it appears that ATC issued and received acknowledgement of a climb clearance from the wrong aircraft. Contributing was the adverse WX resulting in numerous radio transmissions requesting WX deviations.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 108119 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198904 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : cre |
| State Reference | SC |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 23000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zjx |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zjx |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 108119 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1500 |
| ASRS Report | 108120 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
In cruise flight at 16000' MSL on ZJX frequency 133.85, we received ATC clearance, 'air carrier xx...climb and maintain FL230.' we acknowledged the altitude change number confusion, we asked for verification of last altitude clearance. ATC acknowledged that the clearance that we received was for another aircraft. We immediately stopped our climb and descended back to 16000'. The ATC controller had several previous mix ups with several of our company aircraft with similar flight numbers, ie, air carrier xy, air carrier xz. Multiple requests by similar sounding aircraft call signs for deviations for WX avoidance was a contributing factor.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION AND CONFUSION CAUSED BY NUMEROUS ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS IT APPEARS THAT ATC ISSUED AND RECEIVED ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF A CLIMB CLRNC FROM THE WRONG ACFT. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE ADVERSE WX RESULTING IN NUMEROUS RADIO TRANSMISSIONS REQUESTING WX DEVIATIONS.
Narrative: IN CRUISE FLT AT 16000' MSL ON ZJX FREQ 133.85, WE RECEIVED ATC CLRNC, 'ACR XX...CLB AND MAINTAIN FL230.' WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE ALT CHANGE NUMBER CONFUSION, WE ASKED FOR VERIFICATION OF LAST ALT CLRNC. ATC ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE CLRNC THAT WE RECEIVED WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT. WE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED OUR CLB AND DSNDED BACK TO 16000'. THE ATC CTLR HAD SEVERAL PREVIOUS MIX UPS WITH SEVERAL OF OUR COMPANY ACFT WITH SIMILAR FLT NUMBERS, IE, ACR XY, ACR XZ. MULTIPLE REQUESTS BY SIMILAR SOUNDING ACFT CALL SIGNS FOR DEVIATIONS FOR WX AVOIDANCE WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.