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Altitude deviation created by flight crew answering to another flight's call sign or ARTCC radar controller using the wrong call sign for descent clearance.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 123912 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198909 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sie |
| State Reference | NJ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 17000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : bur |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : v44 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 165 flight time total : 13101 flight time type : 9624 |
| ASRS Report | 123912 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified |
Narrative:
Clearance was 'maintain 5000', expect 17,000' 10 mins after departure'. At approximately DM35 EDT, level at 17,000', we received clearance to descend to 14,000'. First officer repeated 'air carrier a cleared to 14,000'.' I, as captain, repeated to first officer 'cleared to 14,000'.' there is no doubt ZDC said 'air carrier a, cleared to 14,000'.' second officer was on another radio discussing maintenance problem with company. We then received frequency change, still on ZDC. Upon changing frequency, we received 'air carrier X climb to 17,000'.' at this point I was descending through 15,700'. I immediately climbed back to 17,000'. ZDC then stated that clearance to 14,000' was for 'company flight B'. At no point had we ever heard any communication with a company 'B' nor were we advised of a flight 'B' on frequency. There was no conflict with any other aircraft that I was aware of. Similar call signs are always a problem. ATC not listening to readbacks is a large problem. Call sign of flight 'a' followed by a 'B' is also a mouthful. Could be center said 'flight a 8XX' which sounds like 'flight AB8X'. Only the tapes will know.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ALT DEVIATION CREATED BY FLT CREW ANSWERING TO ANOTHER FLT'S CALL SIGN OR ARTCC RADAR CTLR USING THE WRONG CALL SIGN FOR DESCENT CLRNC.
Narrative: CLRNC WAS 'MAINTAIN 5000', EXPECT 17,000' 10 MINS AFTER DEP'. AT APPROX DM35 EDT, LEVEL AT 17,000', WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO DSND TO 14,000'. F/O REPEATED 'ACR A CLRED TO 14,000'.' I, AS CAPT, REPEATED TO F/O 'CLRED TO 14,000'.' THERE IS NO DOUBT ZDC SAID 'ACR A, CLRED TO 14,000'.' S/O WAS ON ANOTHER RADIO DISCUSSING MAINT PROBLEM WITH COMPANY. WE THEN RECEIVED FREQ CHANGE, STILL ON ZDC. UPON CHANGING FREQ, WE RECEIVED 'ACR X CLIMB TO 17,000'.' AT THIS POINT I WAS DESCENDING THROUGH 15,700'. I IMMEDIATELY CLIMBED BACK TO 17,000'. ZDC THEN STATED THAT CLRNC TO 14,000' WAS FOR 'COMPANY FLT B'. AT NO POINT HAD WE EVER HEARD ANY COM WITH A COMPANY 'B' NOR WERE WE ADVISED OF A FLT 'B' ON FREQ. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH ANY OTHER ACFT THAT I WAS AWARE OF. SIMILAR CALL SIGNS ARE ALWAYS A PROBLEM. ATC NOT LISTENING TO READBACKS IS A LARGE PROBLEM. CALL SIGN OF FLT 'A' FOLLOWED BY A 'B' IS ALSO A MOUTHFUL. COULD BE CENTER SAID 'FLT A 8XX' WHICH SOUNDS LIKE 'FLT AB8X'. ONLY THE TAPES WILL KNOW.
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.