Air carrier large transport altitude deviation overshot during climb in N90 airspace.

Attributes
ACN	142771
Time
Date	199004
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	142771
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on a kennedy three departure vectors to intercept jfk 156 degree right cleared to 5000' first officer flying. At 4000' I called 1000' to level off and advised the crew to keep a visibility watch for traffic. We were air carrier X, baae, and there were two other flts with similar call signs, air carrier Y bae, and I believe another flight which I don't recall the number of. Approaching 5000' I advised the first officer by voice and by pointing at the altitude reminder. He responded by saying that we were now cleared to 13000'. The F/east didn't say anything and as I'd briefed him to monitor all clrncs I assumed I'd missed the clearance and did not take the aircraft and level off. I was attempting to confirm our clearance altitude with departure (the frequency was very busy as usual) when the controller asked our altitude. I advised him we were passing 8000' for 13000' and he called for an immediate turn to the right. I had heard 13000' and was expecting 13000' (usual clearance on this departure after 5000') and asked if he hadn't cleared us to 13000'. He advised that the 13000' clearance had been for air carrier Y bae. About this time another aircraft called in and asked 'who was the controller talking to'. The controller then called out that there were three aircraft with similar call signs on frequency and restated the clearance for each aircraft clearing us to 13000' and turning us back for the intercept. I believe that advising us when we first came on frequency that there were 2 other aircraft with similar call signs would have helped prevent the problem. Additionally it's obvious that I should have reconfirmed the clearance with the controller rather than accepting the first officer's advisory and the F/east should have been more alert to the clearance as he had been briefed . I may have added to the problem by over-stressing the need to maintain a visibility scan outside the aircraft, and assuming that the first officer (former commuter pilot) would have heard the clearance when I didn't, and in having an expectation for clearance to 13000'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOT DURING CLIMB IN N90 AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A KENNEDY THREE DEP VECTORS TO INTERCEPT JFK 156 DEG R CLRED TO 5000' F/O FLYING. AT 4000' I CALLED 1000' TO LEVEL OFF AND ADVISED THE CREW TO KEEP A VIS WATCH FOR TFC. WE WERE ACR X, BAAE, AND THERE WERE TWO OTHER FLTS WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS, ACR Y BAE, AND I BELIEVE ANOTHER FLT WHICH I DON'T RECALL THE NUMBER OF. APCHING 5000' I ADVISED THE F/O BY VOICE AND BY POINTING AT THE ALT REMINDER. HE RESPONDED BY SAYING THAT WE WERE NOW CLRED TO 13000'. THE F/E DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING AND AS I'D BRIEFED HIM TO MONITOR ALL CLRNCS I ASSUMED I'D MISSED THE CLRNC AND DID NOT TAKE THE ACFT AND LEVEL OFF. I WAS ATTEMPTING TO CONFIRM OUR CLRNC ALT WITH DEP (THE FREQ WAS VERY BUSY AS USUAL) WHEN THE CTLR ASKED OUR ALT. I ADVISED HIM WE WERE PASSING 8000' FOR 13000' AND HE CALLED FOR AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO THE R. I HAD HEARD 13000' AND WAS EXPECTING 13000' (USUAL CLRNC ON THIS DEP AFTER 5000') AND ASKED IF HE HADN'T CLRED US TO 13000'. HE ADVISED THAT THE 13000' CLRNC HAD BEEN FOR ACR Y BAE. ABOUT THIS TIME ANOTHER ACFT CALLED IN AND ASKED 'WHO WAS THE CTLR TALKING TO'. THE CTLR THEN CALLED OUT THAT THERE WERE THREE ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS ON FREQ AND RESTATED THE CLRNC FOR EACH ACFT CLRING US TO 13000' AND TURNING US BACK FOR THE INTERCEPT. I BELIEVE THAT ADVISING US WHEN WE FIRST CAME ON FREQ THAT THERE WERE 2 OTHER ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS WOULD HAVE HELPED PREVENT THE PROB. ADDITIONALLY IT'S OBVIOUS THAT I SHOULD HAVE RECONFIRMED THE CLRNC WITH THE CTLR RATHER THAN ACCEPTING THE F/O'S ADVISORY AND THE F/E SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE ALERT TO THE CLRNC AS HE HAD BEEN BRIEFED . I MAY HAVE ADDED TO THE PROB BY OVER-STRESSING THE NEED TO MAINTAIN A VIS SCAN OUTSIDE THE ACFT, AND ASSUMING THAT THE F/O (FORMER COMMUTER PLT) WOULD HAVE HEARD THE CLRNC WHEN I DIDN'T, AND IN HAVING AN EXPECTATION FOR CLRNC TO 13000'.

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.