Air carrier medium large transport altitude deviation excursion from assigned altitude in response to wrong call sign.

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Attributes
ACN	122913
Time
Date	198909
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5800 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	122913
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Our flight was at 10000' MSL. Chicago approach called up and said, 'air carrier X ihc descend to 2500'.' I answered back with 'air carrier X ihc out of 10 for 2500.' approach came back and said, 'ihc expect a short approach.' I answered, 'air carrier X ihc roger.' passing through 5800' approach asked us what altitude we were cleared to. I said we were 'at 5800 descending to 2500.' approach said, 'climb now to 6000.' the clearance to 2500 was for air carrier Y ihc. Our conflict was with a departing aircraft at 5000'. I saw 2 problems. First, high controller workload at ord required fast communications that often lead to truncated call signs or clrncs; ie, 'ihc descend to 2500,' instead of 'air carrier X ihc descend to 2500.' or, controllers do not have time to listen to readbacks or do not listen because they are already thinking of the next aircraft. Second, we were allowed to descend over 4000' before the controller noticed that we were off his planned altitude for us. Likewise, air carrier Y shc was allowed to remain at 10000' (7500' above the planned altitude). It was only when the controller got a traffic alert that corrective action was taken.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALT DEVIATION EXCURSION FROM ASSIGNED ALT IN RESPONSE TO WRONG CALL SIGN.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS AT 10000' MSL. CHICAGO APCH CALLED UP AND SAID, 'ACR X IHC DSND TO 2500'.' I ANSWERED BACK WITH 'ACR X IHC OUT OF 10 FOR 2500.' APCH CAME BACK AND SAID, 'IHC EXPECT A SHORT APCH.' I ANSWERED, 'ACR X IHC ROGER.' PASSING THROUGH 5800' APCH ASKED US WHAT ALT WE WERE CLRED TO. I SAID WE WERE 'AT 5800 DSNDING TO 2500.' APCH SAID, 'CLB NOW TO 6000.' THE CLRNC TO 2500 WAS FOR ACR Y IHC. OUR CONFLICT WAS WITH A DEPARTING ACFT AT 5000'. I SAW 2 PROBS. FIRST, HIGH CTLR WORKLOAD AT ORD REQUIRED FAST COMS THAT OFTEN LEAD TO TRUNCATED CALL SIGNS OR CLRNCS; IE, 'IHC DSND TO 2500,' INSTEAD OF 'ACR X IHC DSND TO 2500.' OR, CTLRS DO NOT HAVE TIME TO LISTEN TO READBACKS OR DO NOT LISTEN BECAUSE THEY ARE ALREADY THINKING OF THE NEXT ACFT. SECOND, WE WERE ALLOWED TO DSND OVER 4000' BEFORE THE CTLR NOTICED THAT WE WERE OFF HIS PLANNED ALT FOR US. LIKEWISE, ACR Y SHC WAS ALLOWED TO REMAIN AT 10000' (7500' ABOVE THE PLANNED ALT). IT WAS ONLY WHEN THE CTLR GOT A TFC ALERT THAT CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN.

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.