Air carrier frt flight crew takes clearance meant for another flight.

Attributes
ACN	179719
Time
Date	199105
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 5100
ASRS Report	179719
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was captain on an IFR flight departing msp for fsd, filed for 14000'. We took off in the frt mdt abc from runway 11R on the minneapolis 3 SID to maintain 5000'. Shortly after takeoff we were told to contact minneapolis departure control on 124.7. Departure control gave flight abc a right turn to heading 160 degrees. As we climbed through approximately 3500' MSL, departure told flight abc to contact minneapolis center on 134.45. This was a different frequency than normal, so the first officer (nfp) asked if the frequency was 132.45 or 134.45 for flight abc. The controller said it was 134.45 and gave us a right turn to heading 240 degrees. We contacted minneapolis center as flight abc and were cleared to 7000'. A few mins later (around approximately 6000') the center controller told us to contact minneapolis center on 132.45. We contacted msp ARTCC as flight abc and were cleared to 14000'. A min or so later (through approximately 7500') we were given a revised altitude of 9000' and told to contact departure on 124.7. We contacted departure as flight abc, and after a couple heading changes we were on our way to fsd. I found out about what had transpired after arriving at destination fsd, when company relayed a message that another company pilot needed to talk to me. When I contacted this pilot by phone, he said that he heard minneapolis departure control call him flight abd for what we took as flight abc. The frequency change apparently was for him. However, his call sign was supposed to be (and was) flight abd. Even though my first officer used flight abc with all xmissions, ATC failed to make the connection and correct the mistake. At the time of the occurrence, we took no evasive action because we had no idea there was a problem and saw no other aircraft. Flight visibility was 2 mi in rain. I do not know if ATC took any evasive action. Apparently departure was trying to hold flight abc (us) to 500' when we were on another frequency and cleared to climb to 14000'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FRT FLT CREW TAKES CLRNC MEANT FOR ANOTHER FLT.

Narrative: I WAS CAPT ON AN IFR FLT DEPARTING MSP FOR FSD, FILED FOR 14000'. WE TOOK OFF IN THE FRT MDT ABC FROM RWY 11R ON THE MINNEAPOLIS 3 SID TO MAINTAIN 5000'. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT MINNEAPOLIS DEP CTL ON 124.7. DEP CTL GAVE FLT ABC A RIGHT TURN TO HDG 160 DEGS. AS WE CLBED THROUGH APPROX 3500' MSL, DEP TOLD FLT ABC TO CONTACT MINNEAPOLIS CENTER ON 134.45. THIS WAS A DIFFERENT FREQ THAN NORMAL, SO THE F/O (NFP) ASKED IF THE FREQ WAS 132.45 OR 134.45 FOR FLT ABC. THE CTLR SAID IT WAS 134.45 AND GAVE US A RIGHT TURN TO HDG 240 DEGS. WE CONTACTED MINNEAPOLIS CENTER AS FLT ABC AND WERE CLRED TO 7000'. A FEW MINS LATER (AROUND APPROX 6000') THE CENTER CTLR TOLD US TO CONTACT MINNEAPOLIS CENTER ON 132.45. WE CONTACTED MSP ARTCC AS FLT ABC AND WERE CLRED TO 14000'. A MIN OR SO LATER (THROUGH APPROX 7500') WE WERE GIVEN A REVISED ALT OF 9000' AND TOLD TO CONTACT DEP ON 124.7. WE CONTACTED DEP AS FLT ABC, AND AFTER A COUPLE HDG CHANGES WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO FSD. I FOUND OUT ABOUT WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED AFTER ARRIVING AT DEST FSD, WHEN COMPANY RELAYED A MESSAGE THAT ANOTHER COMPANY PLT NEEDED TO TALK TO ME. WHEN I CONTACTED THIS PLT BY PHONE, HE SAID THAT HE HEARD MINNEAPOLIS DEP CTL CALL HIM FLT ABD FOR WHAT WE TOOK AS FLT ABC. THE FREQ CHANGE APPARENTLY WAS FOR HIM. HOWEVER, HIS CALL SIGN WAS SUPPOSED TO BE (AND WAS) FLT ABD. EVEN THOUGH MY F/O USED FLT ABC WITH ALL XMISSIONS, ATC FAILED TO MAKE THE CONNECTION AND CORRECT THE MISTAKE. AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE, WE TOOK NO EVASIVE ACTION BECAUSE WE HAD NO IDEA THERE WAS A PROB AND SAW NO OTHER ACFT. FLT VISIBILITY WAS 2 MI IN RAIN. I DO NOT KNOW IF ATC TOOK ANY EVASIVE ACTION. APPARENTLY DEP WAS TRYING TO HOLD FLT ABC (US) TO 500' WHEN WE WERE ON ANOTHER FREQ AND CLRED TO CLB TO 14000'.

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.