Flight crew accepted a clearance meant for another flight on their ACARS.

Attributes
ACN	240506
Time
Date	199304
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	240506
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After takeoff, we were unable to contact departure control on the frequency assigned by the ACARS obtained pre-departure clearance. By switching back to tower frequency we obtained the correct departure control frequency. Ny departure inquired as to our reasons for maintaining 2000 ft and squawking the incorrect transponder code. Further examination of our ACARS pre-departure clearance revealed that we had received the clearance for flight XXX, lax to ewr instead of the correct flight YYY, ewr-lax. Both the FMC loaded flight plan and ACARS preflight data contained the proper data for our flight. Subsequent requests for flight plan clrncs produced the correct clearance. The reason for the incorrect clearance is undetermined at this time. In the future, increased attention to detail will prevent this incident from reoccurring.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC ACCEPTED A CLRNC MEANT FOR ANOTHER FLT ON THEIR ACARS.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF, WE WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT DEP CTL ON THE FREQ ASSIGNED BY THE ACARS OBTAINED PRE-DEP CLRNC. BY SWITCHING BACK TO TWR FREQ WE OBTAINED THE CORRECT DEP CTL FREQ. NY DEP INQUIRED AS TO OUR REASONS FOR MAINTAINING 2000 FT AND SQUAWKING THE INCORRECT XPONDER CODE. FURTHER EXAMINATION OF OUR ACARS PRE-DEP CLRNC REVEALED THAT WE HAD RECEIVED THE CLRNC FOR FLT XXX, LAX TO EWR INSTEAD OF THE CORRECT FLT YYY, EWR-LAX. BOTH THE FMC LOADED FLT PLAN AND ACARS PREFLT DATA CONTAINED THE PROPER DATA FOR OUR FLT. SUBSEQUENT REQUESTS FOR FLT PLAN CLRNCS PRODUCED THE CORRECT CLRNC. THE REASON FOR THE INCORRECT CLRNC IS UNDETERMINED AT THIS TIME. IN THE FUTURE, INCREASED ATTN TO DETAIL WILL PREVENT THIS INCIDENT FROM REOCCURRING.

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.