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An air carrier flight crew accepted a descent clearance for another aircraft with a similar flight number. During the aircraft's descent the controller intervened.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 326300 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199601 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : mco |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 27400 msl bound upper : 28000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zma |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 2100 |
| ASRS Report | 326300 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
The center controller was working multiple frequencys and gave another aircraft with a similar flight number a descent clearance. Since we were expecting a descent clearance shortly for landing, it didn't seem too odd to us to be given a descent from FL280 to FL270. I read back the descent clearance with our flight number and the captain started a slow descent. At approximately FL274, the center controller asked if we were still level at FL280. I said no, we had been cleared to FL270. The controller then cleared us to maintain FL270, stating that the previous clearance had been for another aircraft on a different frequency. When we switched frequencys a few mins later, I asked the controller if we had caused him a problem earlier and he said no, he'd caught it in time. I'll listen more closely. What surprised us though, was that he didn't respond when I read back the clearance.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR FLC ACCEPTED A DSCNT CLRNC FOR ANOTHER ACFT WITH A SIMILAR FLT NUMBER. DURING THE ACFT'S DSCNT THE CTLR INTERVENED.
Narrative: THE CTR CTLR WAS WORKING MULTIPLE FREQS AND GAVE ANOTHER ACFT WITH A SIMILAR FLT NUMBER A DSCNT CLRNC. SINCE WE WERE EXPECTING A DSCNT CLRNC SHORTLY FOR LNDG, IT DIDN'T SEEM TOO ODD TO US TO BE GIVEN A DSCNT FROM FL280 TO FL270. I READ BACK THE DSCNT CLRNC WITH OUR FLT NUMBER AND THE CAPT STARTED A SLOW DSCNT. AT APPROX FL274, THE CTR CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE STILL LEVEL AT FL280. I SAID NO, WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO FL270. THE CTLR THEN CLRED US TO MAINTAIN FL270, STATING THAT THE PREVIOUS CLRNC HAD BEEN FOR ANOTHER ACFT ON A DIFFERENT FREQ. WHEN WE SWITCHED FREQS A FEW MINS LATER, I ASKED THE CTLR IF WE HAD CAUSED HIM A PROB EARLIER AND HE SAID NO, HE'D CAUGHT IT IN TIME. I'LL LISTEN MORE CLOSELY. WHAT SURPRISED US THOUGH, WAS THAT HE DIDN'T RESPOND WHEN I READ BACK THE CLRNC.
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.