Flight crew was issued a clearance to FL330 by a wrong controller.

Attributes
ACN	150474
Time
Date	199007
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : shvh
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time total : 18000
ASRS Report	150474
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	150603
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation other

Narrative:

Houston center told us that we could expect to stay at FL290 for awhile and changed us to another houston sector. We switched to 132.97 and checked in. Houston center answered our call sign and cleared us to FL330. We climbed to FL330 and leveled off and shortly after received a sel cal telling us to change to houston center 133.87. After checking in with houston on 133.87, we were asked where we had received clearance to FL330 and that they had been calling us for 20 mi. We replied that there was no problem on our part and that the problem was 'in house'. I feel this problem arose due to communications between center and aircraft. Either a incorrect frequency was given and set or correct frequency given and incorrect set in aircraft. The incorrect frequency happened to be the same center which answered or call sign then cleared aircraft to another altitude. I feel that both crews individual pilots, and controllers must be ever aware of what is heard on radio and to question anything which may seem incorrect.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC WAS ISSUED A CLRNC TO FL330 BY A WRONG CTLR.

Narrative: HOUSTON CTR TOLD US THAT WE COULD EXPECT TO STAY AT FL290 FOR AWHILE AND CHANGED US TO ANOTHER HOUSTON SECTOR. WE SWITCHED TO 132.97 AND CHKED IN. HOUSTON CTR ANSWERED OUR CALL SIGN AND CLRED US TO FL330. WE CLBED TO FL330 AND LEVELED OFF AND SHORTLY AFTER RECEIVED A SEL CAL TELLING US TO CHANGE TO HOUSTON CTR 133.87. AFTER CHKING IN WITH HOUSTON ON 133.87, WE WERE ASKED WHERE WE HAD RECEIVED CLRNC TO FL330 AND THAT THEY HAD BEEN CALLING US FOR 20 MI. WE REPLIED THAT THERE WAS NO PROB ON OUR PART AND THAT THE PROB WAS 'IN HOUSE'. I FEEL THIS PROB AROSE DUE TO COMS BTWN CTR AND ACFT. EITHER A INCORRECT FREQ WAS GIVEN AND SET OR CORRECT FREQ GIVEN AND INCORRECT SET IN ACFT. THE INCORRECT FREQ HAPPENED TO BE THE SAME CTR WHICH ANSWERED OR CALL SIGN THEN CLRED ACFT TO ANOTHER ALT. I FEEL THAT BOTH CREWS INDIVIDUAL PLTS, AND CTLRS MUST BE EVER AWARE OF WHAT IS HEARD ON RADIO AND TO QUESTION ANYTHING WHICH MAY SEEM INCORRECT.

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.