 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
MD83 flight crew erroneously accepted climb clearance for another company aircraft with a similar call sign, due to phx ARTCC transmission was partially blocked.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 423616 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199812 |
| Day | Fri |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : phx |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 26000 msl bound upper : 28000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-83 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 14500 flight time type : 13000 |
| ASRS Report | 423616 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | vertical : 1300 |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
On step-climb out of phx, we were level at FL260 (filed for FL350). Company aircraft with similar call sign was just ahead, also step-climbing to higher altitude, but level at FL260. We heard a partially covered transmission that sounded like it cleared us to FL280 and giving a frequency change. I started climb as first officer switched frequency. At FL267 I saw another aircraft which TCASII showed at FL280 and I leveled off. After check-in on new frequency, we were advised to return to the old one. When we did, we were informed we had taken a clearance for company aircraft and did we wish to remain at FL270. After we advised we would do as the controller wished, we were then cleared to FL280. He then advised that there apparently was no conflict. Both the first officer and myself thought the clearance was for us, and observed the company procedure for altitude changes (pointing to altitude window, verbally confirming, etc).
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MD83 FLC ERRONEOUSLY ACCEPTED CLB CLRNC FOR ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN, DUE TO PHX ARTCC XMISSION WAS PARTIALLY BLOCKED.
Narrative: ON STEP-CLB OUT OF PHX, WE WERE LEVEL AT FL260 (FILED FOR FL350). COMPANY ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGN WAS JUST AHEAD, ALSO STEP-CLBING TO HIGHER ALT, BUT LEVEL AT FL260. WE HEARD A PARTIALLY COVERED XMISSION THAT SOUNDED LIKE IT CLRED US TO FL280 AND GIVING A FREQ CHANGE. I STARTED CLB AS FO SWITCHED FREQ. AT FL267 I SAW ANOTHER ACFT WHICH TCASII SHOWED AT FL280 AND I LEVELED OFF. AFTER CHK-IN ON NEW FREQ, WE WERE ADVISED TO RETURN TO THE OLD ONE. WHEN WE DID, WE WERE INFORMED WE HAD TAKEN A CLRNC FOR COMPANY ACFT AND DID WE WISH TO REMAIN AT FL270. AFTER WE ADVISED WE WOULD DO AS THE CTLR WISHED, WE WERE THEN CLRED TO FL280. HE THEN ADVISED THAT THERE APPARENTLY WAS NO CONFLICT. BOTH THE FO AND MYSELF THOUGHT THE CLRNC WAS FOR US, AND OBSERVED THE COMPANY PROC FOR ALT CHANGES (POINTING TO ALT WINDOW, VERBALLY CONFIRMING, ETC).
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.