Narrative:

At approximately XX41Z our position was along track X and had recently passed N0400.0 W15000.0 at FL310. We were in contact with oakland oceanic control via commercial radio, because the normal method of fans (data link) was inoperative for the past 24 hours. We communicated with commercial radio through ACARS data link. At XX46Z we received a message to climb and maintain FL350. Unlike the use of fans, we must either reject or accept a message before printing for verification. We noted 'air carrier xyz' at bottom of message but did not catch the discrepancy 'air carrier abc' in the clearance message itself. Shortly afterwards, we were about to question the clearance issued and received a SELCAL from san francisco commercial radio on HF radio. They wanted to know our SELCAL code and if we were still at FL310. We confirmed the code and being level at FL310. Approximately 15 mins later, we received a climb clearance to FL330. We confirmed and accepted, then climbed and reported level FL330 (which was correct for us). I believe zan used the wrong tail number for SELCAL or the wrong SELCAL code and issued a clearance meant for flight air carrier abc (in their sector), but the message was received by us (air carrier xyz). We are used to printing and verifying the clearance before accepting or rejecting on fans data link. When receiving on ACARS data link, the process is accept or reject prior to printing for verification. We will be even more aware of data link pitfalls in the future, resolving any questions before acceptance of clrncs in this mode of communicating with ATC. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter was mentally set to accept a higher altitude. When this clearance was received, it seemed appropriate. The clearance sounded good, so the clearance was accepted, even though the wrong flight number appeared at the top. Pilot was concentrating on the bottom of the clearance that can only be seen after the clearance is accepted. Flight crew reviewed the clearance in its entirety, then they discovered the wrong flight number at the top of the printed clearance. They had not left their cruise altitude because verification of clearance was not complete. The flight crew decided to call ARTCC to verify the climb clearance. As they were about to call, ARTCC called them on HF general purpose radio and queried them as to what their call sign was and SELCAL code. ARTCC also asked their altitude to verify they were still at FL310. Later, ARTCC called them back and cleared the flight crew to FL330. Reporter states that to see the entire clearance, it has to be accepted or rejected, not until then can it be fully read to ascertain all of the instructions. Reporter feels that zan made the mistake in sending a false message to his aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747-400 FLYING FROM LAX TO AKL RECEIVES A DATA LINK MESSAGE TO CLB, BUT IT IS INTENDED FOR ANOTHER FLT. MESSAGE TO CLB WAS NOT DIRECTED TO PROPER ACFT.

Narrative: AT APPROX XX41Z OUR POS WAS ALONG TRACK X AND HAD RECENTLY PASSED N0400.0 W15000.0 AT FL310. WE WERE IN CONTACT WITH OAKLAND OCEANIC CTL VIA COMMERCIAL RADIO, BECAUSE THE NORMAL METHOD OF FANS (DATA LINK) WAS INOP FOR THE PAST 24 HRS. WE COMMUNICATED WITH COMMERCIAL RADIO THROUGH ACARS DATA LINK. AT XX46Z WE RECEIVED A MESSAGE TO CLB AND MAINTAIN FL350. UNLIKE THE USE OF FANS, WE MUST EITHER REJECT OR ACCEPT A MESSAGE BEFORE PRINTING FOR VERIFICATION. WE NOTED 'ACR XYZ' AT BOTTOM OF MESSAGE BUT DID NOT CATCH THE DISCREPANCY 'ACR ABC' IN THE CLRNC MESSAGE ITSELF. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, WE WERE ABOUT TO QUESTION THE CLRNC ISSUED AND RECEIVED A SELCAL FROM SAN FRANCISCO COMMERCIAL RADIO ON HF RADIO. THEY WANTED TO KNOW OUR SELCAL CODE AND IF WE WERE STILL AT FL310. WE CONFIRMED THE CODE AND BEING LEVEL AT FL310. APPROX 15 MINS LATER, WE RECEIVED A CLB CLRNC TO FL330. WE CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED, THEN CLBED AND RPTED LEVEL FL330 (WHICH WAS CORRECT FOR US). I BELIEVE ZAN USED THE WRONG TAIL NUMBER FOR SELCAL OR THE WRONG SELCAL CODE AND ISSUED A CLRNC MEANT FOR FLT ACR ABC (IN THEIR SECTOR), BUT THE MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED BY US (ACR XYZ). WE ARE USED TO PRINTING AND VERIFYING THE CLRNC BEFORE ACCEPTING OR REJECTING ON FANS DATA LINK. WHEN RECEIVING ON ACARS DATA LINK, THE PROCESS IS ACCEPT OR REJECT PRIOR TO PRINTING FOR VERIFICATION. WE WILL BE EVEN MORE AWARE OF DATA LINK PITFALLS IN THE FUTURE, RESOLVING ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE ACCEPTANCE OF CLRNCS IN THIS MODE OF COMMUNICATING WITH ATC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR WAS MENTALLY SET TO ACCEPT A HIGHER ALT. WHEN THIS CLRNC WAS RECEIVED, IT SEEMED APPROPRIATE. THE CLRNC SOUNDED GOOD, SO THE CLRNC WAS ACCEPTED, EVEN THOUGH THE WRONG FLT NUMBER APPEARED AT THE TOP. PLT WAS CONCENTRATING ON THE BOTTOM OF THE CLRNC THAT CAN ONLY BE SEEN AFTER THE CLRNC IS ACCEPTED. FLC REVIEWED THE CLRNC IN ITS ENTIRETY, THEN THEY DISCOVERED THE WRONG FLT NUMBER AT THE TOP OF THE PRINTED CLRNC. THEY HAD NOT LEFT THEIR CRUISE ALT BECAUSE VERIFICATION OF CLRNC WAS NOT COMPLETE. THE FLC DECIDED TO CALL ARTCC TO VERIFY THE CLB CLRNC. AS THEY WERE ABOUT TO CALL, ARTCC CALLED THEM ON HF GENERAL PURPOSE RADIO AND QUERIED THEM AS TO WHAT THEIR CALL SIGN WAS AND SELCAL CODE. ARTCC ALSO ASKED THEIR ALT TO VERIFY THEY WERE STILL AT FL310. LATER, ARTCC CALLED THEM BACK AND CLRED THE FLC TO FL330. RPTR STATES THAT TO SEE THE ENTIRE CLRNC, IT HAS TO BE ACCEPTED OR REJECTED, NOT UNTIL THEN CAN IT BE FULLY READ TO ASCERTAIN ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS. RPTR FEELS THAT ZAN MADE THE MISTAKE IN SENDING A FALSE MESSAGE TO HIS ACFT.

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.