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A B757-200 flight at FL410 is issued a clearance to FL350 which was intended for another company flight whose number was not similar to flight X. ZKC, mo.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 470518 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200004 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zkc.artcc |
| State Reference | MO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 41000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zkc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zkc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 4700 |
| ASRS Report | 470518 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 470948 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other controllerb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude other |
| Consequence | faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor Company Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Deviation |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : zkc.artcc |
Narrative:
Controller told us (flight cch) to descend to FL350. Captain (PNF) acknowledged and I set FL350 in altitude window. Both of us pointed to FL350. I began 1000 FPM descent. At FL400 the controller (frequency 125.72) asked us to confirm we were level at FL410. I replied, 'no, we are descending to FL350 per your instructions.' the controller said we took a clearance for another aircraft, and I began a climb to FL410. I think he meant to give the clearance to flight efb who he had to call several times to give a descent to. Shortly thereafter, there was a change of controllers on this frequency, and the captain asked him if we were in trouble. The controller gave a vague answer that the last controller gave a descent clearance to the wrong aircraft (or something to that effect). We got the descent clearance 380 mi from destination. It is common on this arrival (and all cvg arrs) to descend as much as 200 mi before FMS top of descent. We were given 7 descent clrncs prior to being cleared to cross tarne at 11000 ft. We can go to nyc and get 2 crossing restrs or go to lax and he cleared to descend via the civet arrival. The way we descend into cvg is ripe for controller and pilot mistakes. There must be a better way.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B757-200 FLT AT FL410 IS ISSUED A CLRNC TO FL350 WHICH WAS INTENDED FOR ANOTHER COMPANY FLT WHOSE NUMBER WAS NOT SIMILAR TO FLT X. ZKC, MO.
Narrative: CTLR TOLD US (FLT CCH) TO DSND TO FL350. CAPT (PNF) ACKNOWLEDGED AND I SET FL350 IN ALT WINDOW. BOTH OF US POINTED TO FL350. I BEGAN 1000 FPM DSCNT. AT FL400 THE CTLR (FREQ 125.72) ASKED US TO CONFIRM WE WERE LEVEL AT FL410. I REPLIED, 'NO, WE ARE DSNDING TO FL350 PER YOUR INSTRUCTIONS.' THE CTLR SAID WE TOOK A CLRNC FOR ANOTHER ACFT, AND I BEGAN A CLB TO FL410. I THINK HE MEANT TO GIVE THE CLRNC TO FLT EFB WHO HE HAD TO CALL SEVERAL TIMES TO GIVE A DSCNT TO. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THERE WAS A CHANGE OF CTLRS ON THIS FREQ, AND THE CAPT ASKED HIM IF WE WERE IN TROUBLE. THE CTLR GAVE A VAGUE ANSWER THAT THE LAST CTLR GAVE A DSCNT CLRNC TO THE WRONG ACFT (OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT). WE GOT THE DSCNT CLRNC 380 MI FROM DEST. IT IS COMMON ON THIS ARR (AND ALL CVG ARRS) TO DSND AS MUCH AS 200 MI BEFORE FMS TOP OF DSCNT. WE WERE GIVEN 7 DSCNT CLRNCS PRIOR TO BEING CLRED TO CROSS TARNE AT 11000 FT. WE CAN GO TO NYC AND GET 2 XING RESTRS OR GO TO LAX AND HE CLRED TO DSND VIA THE CIVET ARR. THE WAY WE DSND INTO CVG IS RIPE FOR CTLR AND PLT MISTAKES. THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY.
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.