Flight crew of air carrier large transport aircraft climbed above assigned altitude in response to their 'call sign' which was not intended for them.

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Attributes
ACN	237032
Time
Date	199303
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31700
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	237032
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : private pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	237013
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

We checked on with ZTL just south of the atlanta VOR. The controller told us he had another aircraft with like call signs, and to listen up. We acknowledged his transmission and requested 35000 ft due to turbulence. The controller cleared us from 31000 ft to 33000 ft. At 31700 ft the controller asked us why we were 700 ft high. I informed the controller that he had just cleared us to 33000 ft. We were cleared back to 31000 ft. The frequency was too saturated to ask what had happened. After landing in chicago I called the watch supervisor at ZTL. He explained that the controller had confused the 2 aircraft with the like call signs and climbed the wrong aircraft. Our aircraft conflicted with another aircraft at a higher altitude. The supervisor pulled the ATC tapes and explained that this situation was a controller error. Aircraft with the same numerical call signs are dangerous for the controllers, pilots and the aircraft full of passenger.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF ACR LGT ACFT CLBED ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT IN RESPONSE TO THEIR 'CALL SIGN' WHICH WAS NOT INTENDED FOR THEM.

Narrative: WE CHKED ON WITH ZTL JUST S OF THE ATLANTA VOR. THE CTLR TOLD US HE HAD ANOTHER ACFT WITH LIKE CALL SIGNS, AND TO LISTEN UP. WE ACKNOWLEDGED HIS XMISSION AND REQUESTED 35000 FT DUE TO TURB. THE CTLR CLRED US FROM 31000 FT TO 33000 FT. AT 31700 FT THE CTLR ASKED US WHY WE WERE 700 FT HIGH. I INFORMED THE CTLR THAT HE HAD JUST CLRED US TO 33000 FT. WE WERE CLRED BACK TO 31000 FT. THE FREQ WAS TOO SATURATED TO ASK WHAT HAD HAPPENED. AFTER LNDG IN CHICAGO I CALLED THE WATCH SUPVR AT ZTL. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE CTLR HAD CONFUSED THE 2 ACFT WITH THE LIKE CALL SIGNS AND CLBED THE WRONG ACFT. OUR ACFT CONFLICTED WITH ANOTHER ACFT AT A HIGHER ALT. THE SUPVR PULLED THE ATC TAPES AND EXPLAINED THAT THIS SIT WAS A CTLR ERROR. ACFT WITH THE SAME NUMERICAL CALL SIGNS ARE DANGEROUS FOR THE CTLRS, PLTS AND THE ACFT FULL OF PAX.

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.