Air carrier took clearance intended for another air carrier and climbed to an occupied altitude.

Attributes
ACN	125344
Time
Date	198910
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : day
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 21000 msl bound upper : 22000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 4 flight time last 90 days : 0 flight time total : 3600 flight time type : 0
ASRS Report	125344
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

An operational error occurred due to readback error. Air carrier axx was on frequency climbing to FL210 waiting to be cleared to FL220. He had seen his traffic at FL220 and knew he was clear of him, although not by 5 mi. A clearance was issued to air carrier bxx, but should have been for air carrier cxx. Air carrier axx took clearance to FL220 and error was not caught.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR TOOK CLRNC INTENDED FOR ANOTHER ACR AND CLIMBED TO AN OCCUPIED ALT.

Narrative: AN OPERATIONAL ERROR OCCURRED DUE TO READBACK ERROR. ACR AXX WAS ON FREQ CLIMBING TO FL210 WAITING TO BE CLRED TO FL220. HE HAD SEEN HIS TFC AT FL220 AND KNEW HE WAS CLEAR OF HIM, ALTHOUGH NOT BY 5 MI. A CLRNC WAS ISSUED TO ACR BXX, BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOR ACR CXX. ACR AXX TOOK CLRNC TO FL220 AND ERROR WAS NOT CAUGHT.

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.