A cpr small transport inbound on the sadde arrival to lax copied a descent and turn clearance for an...

Attributes
ACN	383970
Time
Date	199710
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fim airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors enroute airway : lax
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 12200 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	383970
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

As we approached symon intersection on the sadde arrival into lax, the controller gave us a clearance to depart smo (santa monica) on a heading of 070 degrees, but to remain on the arrival until smo. We acknowledged that clearance. A short time later at approximately XA05 local, we heard a clearance to proceed direct to smo, maintain 7000 ft and 180 KTS. We acknowledged with our call sign. Shortly after completing our turn to smo (we were still above our previous assigned altitude and descending), the controller called us and asked us our heading. We replied 095 degrees. He stated that we were supposed to be heading for (unintelligible) intersection (on the sadde arrival). I immediately turned to his assigned heading of 180 degrees to re-intercept the arrival and told him that I had copied the direct smo 7000 ft 180 KTS assignment. He stated that we had copied another aircraft's clearance. At that point another aircraft stated 'who was the clearance for?' and the controller stated that it was for him. If it was, he hadn't heard it as such. 1) the controller was very busy at this time with at least 3 aircraft, arriving for the sadde arrival at very close intervals. 2) we read back the newly assigned clearance (which was apparently not for us) and stated our call sign with no reply or correction from ATC until our course deviation was noticed. 3) we may have perceived our call sign (in error) for the clearance in question, but we took measures to minimize error by reading back our call sign and the clearance. 4) this was a communication event in that a clearance was issued and an error was made in the issuance of the correct call sign, or the incorrect receipt of the call sign by the crew. However, even if the controller didn't catch the readback n-number as being incorrect, he very quickly noted the deviation from the expected course and corrected it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR SMT INBOUND ON THE SADDE ARR TO LAX COPIED A DSCNT AND TURN CLRNC FOR ANOTHER ACFT. APCH CTLR CAUGHT THE ERROR AFTER THE ACFT COMPLETED THE TURN AND VECTORED THE SMT BACK ON THE ARR. NO SEPARATION WAS LOST.

Narrative: AS WE APCHED SYMON INTXN ON THE SADDE ARR INTO LAX, THE CTLR GAVE US A CLRNC TO DEPART SMO (SANTA MONICA) ON A HDG OF 070 DEGS, BUT TO REMAIN ON THE ARR UNTIL SMO. WE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT CLRNC. A SHORT TIME LATER AT APPROX XA05 LCL, WE HEARD A CLRNC TO PROCEED DIRECT TO SMO, MAINTAIN 7000 FT AND 180 KTS. WE ACKNOWLEDGED WITH OUR CALL SIGN. SHORTLY AFTER COMPLETING OUR TURN TO SMO (WE WERE STILL ABOVE OUR PREVIOUS ASSIGNED ALT AND DSNDING), THE CTLR CALLED US AND ASKED US OUR HEADING. WE REPLIED 095 DEGS. HE STATED THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE HEADING FOR (UNINTELLIGIBLE) INTXN (ON THE SADDE ARR). I IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO HIS ASSIGNED HEADING OF 180 DEGS TO RE-INTERCEPT THE ARR AND TOLD HIM THAT I HAD COPIED THE DIRECT SMO 7000 FT 180 KTS ASSIGNMENT. HE STATED THAT WE HAD COPIED ANOTHER ACFT'S CLRNC. AT THAT POINT ANOTHER ACFT STATED 'WHO WAS THE CLRNC FOR?' AND THE CTLR STATED THAT IT WAS FOR HIM. IF IT WAS, HE HADN'T HEARD IT AS SUCH. 1) THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY AT THIS TIME WITH AT LEAST 3 ACFT, ARRIVING FOR THE SADDE ARR AT VERY CLOSE INTERVALS. 2) WE READ BACK THE NEWLY ASSIGNED CLRNC (WHICH WAS APPARENTLY NOT FOR US) AND STATED OUR CALL SIGN WITH NO REPLY OR CORRECTION FROM ATC UNTIL OUR COURSE DEV WAS NOTICED. 3) WE MAY HAVE PERCEIVED OUR CALL SIGN (IN ERROR) FOR THE CLRNC IN QUESTION, BUT WE TOOK MEASURES TO MINIMIZE ERROR BY READING BACK OUR CALL SIGN AND THE CLRNC. 4) THIS WAS A COM EVENT IN THAT A CLRNC WAS ISSUED AND AN ERROR WAS MADE IN THE ISSUANCE OF THE CORRECT CALL SIGN, OR THE INCORRECT RECEIPT OF THE CALL SIGN BY THE CREW. HOWEVER, EVEN IF THE CTLR DIDN'T CATCH THE READBACK N-NUMBER AS BEING INCORRECT, HE VERY QUICKLY NOTED THE DEV FROM THE EXPECTED COURSE AND CORRECTED IT.

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.

A cpr small transport inbound on the sadde arrival to lax copied a descent and turn clearance for another aircraft. Approach controller caught the error after the aircraft completed the turn and vectored the small transport back on the arrival. No separation was lost.