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An light transport PIC takes a clearance meant for another same company flight and executes an unauthorized climb.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 405590 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199806 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : dpk |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 14300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| 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 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 405590 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were level at 14000 ft expecting a climb clearance to 16000 ft. I heard controller say: air carrier flight xyz, climb and maintain 16000 ft. I read the clearance back and set 16000 ft in the altitude pre-selector. While climbing through 14200 ft an aircraft with a similar sounding call sign said: 'somebody keeps answering our calls.' I immediately called the controller to request an altitude clearance confirmation, he answered for us to stay at 14000 ft. We leveled the aircraft at 14300 ft and returned to 14000 ft. It is possible that both lines of defense failed in this incident. The controller issued clearance for other aircraft or meant to issue it to another aircraft and used our call sign instead and had not caught it on our readback. In the future I will be extra careful when accepting a clearance when an aircraft with a similar sounding call sign is present.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN LTT PIC TAKES A CLRNC MEANT FOR ANOTHER SAME COMPANY FLT AND EXECUTES AN UNAUTH CLB.
Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL AT 14000 FT EXPECTING A CLB CLRNC TO 16000 FT. I HEARD CTLR SAY: ACR FLT XYZ, CLB AND MAINTAIN 16000 FT. I READ THE CLRNC BACK AND SET 16000 FT IN THE ALT PRE-SELECTOR. WHILE CLBING THROUGH 14200 FT AN ACFT WITH A SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN SAID: 'SOMEBODY KEEPS ANSWERING OUR CALLS.' I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE CTLR TO REQUEST AN ALT CLRNC CONFIRMATION, HE ANSWERED FOR US TO STAY AT 14000 FT. WE LEVELED THE ACFT AT 14300 FT AND RETURNED TO 14000 FT. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT BOTH LINES OF DEFENSE FAILED IN THIS INCIDENT. THE CTLR ISSUED CLRNC FOR OTHER ACFT OR MEANT TO ISSUE IT TO ANOTHER ACFT AND USED OUR CALL SIGN INSTEAD AND HAD NOT CAUGHT IT ON OUR READBACK. IN THE FUTURE I WILL BE EXTRA CAREFUL WHEN ACCEPTING A CLRNC WHEN AN ACFT WITH A SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN IS PRESENT.
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.