Disagreement in clearance altitude between air carrier large transport and approach controller on df...

Attributes
ACN	136784
Time
Date	199002
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : buj airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	136784
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Regional approach cleared us from 11000' to 8000' prior to baton intersection we were aircraft 'xyz'. We clearly acknowledged and read back flight #, altitude departing, and altitude descending too, the controller acknowledged. Upon reaching 8000' the controller asked our altitude, we said 8000', he said 'maintain 8000', that was for company'. He then gave us an unusual vector off of the arrival. I do not know if there was a problem with our altitude, nothing was ever said, however, the controller was very busy, and was not able to give anyone enough time to acknowledge, or reply. The controllers are too busy during terminal arrival. I also think the technique used for callsigns is poor, and leads to confusion. There was another company flight 'xyd' talking at the same time. The controller was saying flight 'xyz' and flight 'xyd' during rapid and busy radio communications, it is easy to confuse these numbers. In europe you must use single digits ie..'ex, why, zee'. This takes away some of the confusion in similar sounding callsigns. I asked the controller if there had been a problem, but he would not respond.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISAGREEMENT IN CLRNC ALT BETWEEN ACR LGT AND APCH CTLR ON DFW BLUE RIDGE 2 STAR.

Narrative: REGIONAL APCH CLRED US FROM 11000' TO 8000' PRIOR TO BATON INTXN WE WERE ACFT 'XYZ'. WE CLRLY ACKNOWLEDGED AND READ BACK FLT #, ALT DEPARTING, AND ALT DSNDING TOO, THE CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED. UPON REACHING 8000' THE CTLR ASKED OUR ALT, WE SAID 8000', HE SAID 'MAINTAIN 8000', THAT WAS FOR COMPANY'. HE THEN GAVE US AN UNUSUAL VECTOR OFF OF THE ARR. I DO NOT KNOW IF THERE WAS A PROB WITH OUR ALT, NOTHING WAS EVER SAID, HOWEVER, THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO GIVE ANYONE ENOUGH TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE, OR REPLY. THE CTLRS ARE TOO BUSY DURING TERMINAL ARR. I ALSO THINK THE TECHNIQUE USED FOR CALLSIGNS IS POOR, AND LEADS TO CONFUSION. THERE WAS ANOTHER COMPANY FLT 'XYD' TALKING AT THE SAME TIME. THE CTLR WAS SAYING FLT 'XYZ' AND FLT 'XYD' DURING RAPID AND BUSY RADIO COMS, IT IS EASY TO CONFUSE THESE NUMBERS. IN EUROPE YOU MUST USE SINGLE DIGITS IE..'EX, WHY, ZEE'. THIS TAKES AWAY SOME OF THE CONFUSION IN similar SOUNDING CALLSIGNS. I ASKED THE CTLR IF THERE HAD BEEN A PROB, BUT HE WOULD NOT RESPOND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.

Disagreement in clearance altitude between air carrier large transport and approach controller on dfw blue ridge 2 STAR.