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Flight crew acknowledged a descent clearance that was for another similar sounding company flight. Center controller caught the miscue after air carrier 1 had only descended a few hundred ft. Center controller told air carrier 1 to remain at original altitude, because the clearance was for air carrier 2.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 421940 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199812 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : mva |
| State Reference | NV |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 34700 msl bound upper : 35000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 8000 |
| ASRS Report | 421940 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation Operational Deviation other |
Narrative:
We were at cruise at FL350, flight #air carrier 1. ZOA, at approximately XA10, gave clearance to descend from FL350 to FL310. I acknowledged that flight '#air carrier 1 is leaving FL350 for FL310.' a few seconds later, center asked if air carrier 1 is leaving FL350 and if so, should remain at FL350, as that clearance to descend was for air carrier 2, which never answered. We immediately returned to FL350 after descending a couple hundred ft. No separation conflict took place and flight continued uneventfully. Air crew misunderstood clearance of air carrier 2 as air carrier 1, but read back air carrier 1 is descending and ZOA never caught the mistake in readback. Center should let both aircraft of similar call signs know they are on frequency together.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC ACKNOWLEDGED A DSCNT CLRNC THAT WAS FOR ANOTHER SIMILAR SOUNDING COMPANY FLT. CTR CTLR CAUGHT THE MISCUE AFTER ACR 1 HAD ONLY DSNDED A FEW HUNDRED FT. CTR CTLR TOLD ACR 1 TO REMAIN AT ORIGINAL ALT, BECAUSE THE CLRNC WAS FOR ACR 2.
Narrative: WE WERE AT CRUISE AT FL350, FLT #ACR 1. ZOA, AT APPROX XA10, GAVE CLRNC TO DSND FROM FL350 TO FL310. I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT FLT '#ACR 1 IS LEAVING FL350 FOR FL310.' A FEW SECONDS LATER, CTR ASKED IF ACR 1 IS LEAVING FL350 AND IF SO, SHOULD REMAIN AT FL350, AS THAT CLRNC TO DSND WAS FOR ACR 2, WHICH NEVER ANSWERED. WE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO FL350 AFTER DSNDING A COUPLE HUNDRED FT. NO SEPARATION CONFLICT TOOK PLACE AND FLT CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY. AIR CREW MISUNDERSTOOD CLRNC OF ACR 2 AS ACR 1, BUT READ BACK ACR 1 IS DSNDING AND ZOA NEVER CAUGHT THE MISTAKE IN READBACK. CTR SHOULD LET BOTH ACFT OF SIMILAR CALL SIGNS KNOW THEY ARE ON FREQ TOGETHER.
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.