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Altitude deviation altitude excursion from assigned as airline X leaves assigned altitude in anticipation of higher when a similar sounding aircraft number airline gets that clearance.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 358330 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199701 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ont |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 23600 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 358330 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : second officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial |
| ASRS Report | 358051 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
After several step climbs, ATC gave us a frequency change and said 'expect further climb with next controller.' I checked in on the new frequency and the controller immediately came back with a climb to FL290 for other airline Y abdh and did not acknowledge our call at all. The captain expecting to hear the climb and our call sign being airline xhdh started a climb. No power was added so I didn't catch it till we were at FL233 at which time I told the captain to go back to FL230 that the call was for someone else. We topped out about FL236 before the plane came back down. Nothing was said by ATC and no conflict was noticed. If ATC had just said airline xhdh standby before giving a similar call sign a climb clearance right after I checked in, the captain probably would have caught it. We have all misheard and I had not read back anything to ATC waiting for airline Y to acknowledge. I have had other instances where ATC does not acknowledge your call and immediately talks to some other aircraft and it is always confusing because you expect them to answer you. Just a quick '(call sign) stand by' would help. Of course on our part we should try and make sure we hear right. I am sure the captain thought he was sure he heard our call sign and was expecting that exact clearance and was told by the previous controller to expect a climb from the next controller. Luckily I didn't mishear or we would have been on our way to FL290.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION FROM ASSIGNED AS AIRLINE X LEAVES ASSIGNED ALT IN ANTICIPATION OF HIGHER WHEN A SIMILAR SOUNDING ACFT NUMBER AIRLINE GETS THAT CLRNC.
Narrative: AFTER SEVERAL STEP CLBS, ATC GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE AND SAID 'EXPECT FURTHER CLB WITH NEXT CTLR.' I CHKED IN ON THE NEW FREQ AND THE CTLR IMMEDIATELY CAME BACK WITH A CLB TO FL290 FOR OTHER AIRLINE Y ABDH AND DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE OUR CALL AT ALL. THE CAPT EXPECTING TO HEAR THE CLB AND OUR CALL SIGN BEING AIRLINE XHDH STARTED A CLB. NO PWR WAS ADDED SO I DIDN'T CATCH IT TILL WE WERE AT FL233 AT WHICH TIME I TOLD THE CAPT TO GO BACK TO FL230 THAT THE CALL WAS FOR SOMEONE ELSE. WE TOPPED OUT ABOUT FL236 BEFORE THE PLANE CAME BACK DOWN. NOTHING WAS SAID BY ATC AND NO CONFLICT WAS NOTICED. IF ATC HAD JUST SAID AIRLINE XHDH STANDBY BEFORE GIVING A SIMILAR CALL SIGN A CLB CLRNC RIGHT AFTER I CHKED IN, THE CAPT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE CAUGHT IT. WE HAVE ALL MISHEARD AND I HAD NOT READ BACK ANYTHING TO ATC WAITING FOR AIRLINE Y TO ACKNOWLEDGE. I HAVE HAD OTHER INSTANCES WHERE ATC DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR CALL AND IMMEDIATELY TALKS TO SOME OTHER ACFT AND IT IS ALWAYS CONFUSING BECAUSE YOU EXPECT THEM TO ANSWER YOU. JUST A QUICK '(CALL SIGN) STAND BY' WOULD HELP. OF COURSE ON OUR PART WE SHOULD TRY AND MAKE SURE WE HEAR RIGHT. I AM SURE THE CAPT THOUGHT HE WAS SURE HE HEARD OUR CALL SIGN AND WAS EXPECTING THAT EXACT CLRNC AND WAS TOLD BY THE PREVIOUS CTLR TO EXPECT A CLB FROM THE NEXT CTLR. LUCKILY I DIDN'T MISHEAR OR WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ON OUR WAY TO FL290.
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.