Erroneous ACARS information.

Attributes
ACN	289838
Time
Date	199411
Day	Sun
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi tower : lga
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	289838
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	289837
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After takeoff from bwi we were unable to contact departure control on the ACARS assigned frequency. We got the correct frequency from the tower. After contacting departure control they asked us where we got our original departure frequency and altitude and they cleared us to a new altitude. We replied from our ACARS clearance. They informed us we had not created any traffic problems but would like us to call when we landed at bna. When I called they informed me all was well with their equipment. I informed them that our ACARS unit had given us an incorrect clearance with information from our previous flight the ACARS unit also did not send our out and off times to dispatch. I suspected a problem with the ACARS unit and reported it to bna maintenance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ERRONEOUS ACARS INFO.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM BWI WE WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT DEP CTL ON THE ACARS ASSIGNED FREQ. WE GOT THE CORRECT FREQ FROM THE TWR. AFTER CONTACTING DEP CTL THEY ASKED US WHERE WE GOT OUR ORIGINAL DEP FREQ AND ALT AND THEY CLRED US TO A NEW ALT. WE REPLIED FROM OUR ACARS CLRNC. THEY INFORMED US WE HAD NOT CREATED ANY TFC PROBS BUT WOULD LIKE US TO CALL WHEN WE LANDED AT BNA. WHEN I CALLED THEY INFORMED ME ALL WAS WELL WITH THEIR EQUIP. I INFORMED THEM THAT OUR ACARS UNIT HAD GIVEN US AN INCORRECT CLRNC WITH INFO FROM OUR PREVIOUS FLT THE ACARS UNIT ALSO DID NOT SEND OUR OUT AND OFF TIMES TO DISPATCH. I SUSPECTED A PROB WITH THE ACARS UNIT AND RPTED IT TO BNA MAINT.

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.