Commuter light transport altitude deviation excursion from clearance altitude in response to wrong c...

Attributes
ACN	130887
Time
Date	198912
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vtu airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ntd
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	130887
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Our assigned altitude was 7000', which was normal for the flight. I tuned in the ATIS at lax on the #2 radio. Normally as captain, I would continue to monitor the #1 radio as I picked up the ATIS. However, because the frequency in the #1 radio (mugu approach) was so congested, I asked the first officer to cover the #1 radio. Just as I turned it back on, I heard the first officer report 'leaving 7000 for 5000.' I thought it was a little odd that we were cleared down to 5000' so early, but not completely out of the ordinary. As we descending through 5900', a different voice asked us to 'say altitude.' I acknowledged that we were 'out of 5.9 for 5000.' he said that assigned altitude was 7000'. He called traffic at 11 O'clock, 10 mi, opp direction at 6000', and told us to 'no expedite to 5000.' I called the controller and told him that we were given a clearance to 5000', and that we acknowledged it and reported 'leaving 7 for 5000.' he said that the clearance was for another aircraft in our company and not for us. I then stated again that we had acknowledged the clearance with our call sign. He said that we (the other aircraft and I) must have covered each other on the readback.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT ALT DEVIATION EXCURSION FROM CLRNC ALT IN RESPONSE TO WRONG CALL SIGN.

Narrative: OUR ASSIGNED ALT WAS 7000', WHICH WAS NORMAL FOR THE FLT. I TUNED IN THE ATIS AT LAX ON THE #2 RADIO. NORMALLY AS CAPT, I WOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE #1 RADIO AS I PICKED UP THE ATIS. HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE FREQ IN THE #1 RADIO (MUGU APCH) WAS SO CONGESTED, I ASKED THE F/O TO COVER THE #1 RADIO. JUST AS I TURNED IT BACK ON, I HEARD THE F/O RPT 'LEAVING 7000 FOR 5000.' I THOUGHT IT WAS A LITTLE ODD THAT WE WERE CLRED DOWN TO 5000' SO EARLY, BUT NOT COMPLETELY OUT OF THE ORDINARY. AS WE DSNDING THROUGH 5900', A DIFFERENT VOICE ASKED US TO 'SAY ALT.' I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE WERE 'OUT OF 5.9 FOR 5000.' HE SAID THAT ASSIGNED ALT WAS 7000'. HE CALLED TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK, 10 MI, OPP DIRECTION AT 6000', AND TOLD US TO 'NO EXPEDITE TO 5000.' I CALLED THE CTLR AND TOLD HIM THAT WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO 5000', AND THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGED IT AND RPTED 'LEAVING 7 FOR 5000.' HE SAID THAT THE CLRNC WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT IN OUR COMPANY AND NOT FOR US. I THEN STATED AGAIN THAT WE HAD ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC WITH OUR CALL SIGN. HE SAID THAT WE (THE OTHER ACFT AND I) MUST HAVE COVERED EACH OTHER ON THE READBACK.

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.

Commuter light transport altitude deviation excursion from clearance altitude in response to wrong call sign.