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2 different airline aircraft, with the same flight numbers, were in the same control area at the same time. The controller instructed one of them to descend and one of them complied. Later there was some confusion over which one was to comply. However, separation was provided because only one descended.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 429069 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199902 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : mmcz.vortac |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 31000 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : mmid.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : ns.airway |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : mmid.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine |
| ASRS Report | 429069 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 429070 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Company |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Our aircraft and another air carrier on the same frequency with the same flight number. Merida cleared us to descend to FL280 from FL310. The captain was not in the cockpit. The first officer was the PF at the time and began descent to FL280. The flight engineer concurred that the clearance was to FL280. We leveled at FL280. 10 mins later, merida center asked us why we were at FL240. We informed him that he had cleared us to FL280 and we had read back the clearance. He had said that the clearance was for the other air carrier. We were in radar contact at the time. There was no traffic in the area and no traffic conflicts occurred. Supplemental information from acn 429070: I was out of cockpit using restroom. When I returned, first officer said we were cleared to descend to FL280 and we did at FL280. Merida center asked our flight level. We said FL280. Merida center said clearance was for another air carrier with same number. First officer stated he heard our call sign and read back our call sign FL280. Flight engineer confirmed FL280. Merida said stay at FL280.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: 2 DIFFERENT AIRLINE ACFT, WITH THE SAME FLT NUMBERS, WERE IN THE SAME CTL AREA AT THE SAME TIME. THE CTLR INSTRUCTED ONE OF THEM TO DSND AND ONE OF THEM COMPLIED. LATER THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION OVER WHICH ONE WAS TO COMPLY. HOWEVER, SEPARATION WAS PROVIDED BECAUSE ONLY ONE DSNDED.
Narrative: OUR ACFT AND ANOTHER ACR ON THE SAME FREQ WITH THE SAME FLT NUMBER. MERIDA CLRED US TO DSND TO FL280 FROM FL310. THE CAPT WAS NOT IN THE COCKPIT. THE FO WAS THE PF AT THE TIME AND BEGAN DSCNT TO FL280. THE FE CONCURRED THAT THE CLRNC WAS TO FL280. WE LEVELED AT FL280. 10 MINS LATER, MERIDA CTR ASKED US WHY WE WERE AT FL240. WE INFORMED HIM THAT HE HAD CLRED US TO FL280 AND WE HAD READ BACK THE CLRNC. HE HAD SAID THAT THE CLRNC WAS FOR THE OTHER ACR. WE WERE IN RADAR CONTACT AT THE TIME. THERE WAS NO TFC IN THE AREA AND NO TFC CONFLICTS OCCURRED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 429070: I WAS OUT OF COCKPIT USING RESTROOM. WHEN I RETURNED, FO SAID WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO FL280 AND WE DID AT FL280. MERIDA CTR ASKED OUR FLT LEVEL. WE SAID FL280. MERIDA CTR SAID CLRNC WAS FOR ANOTHER ACR WITH SAME NUMBER. FO STATED HE HEARD OUR CALL SIGN AND READ BACK OUR CALL SIGN FL280. FE CONFIRMED FL280. MERIDA SAID STAY AT FL280.
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.