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Similar call signs and the acceptance of another clearance lead to an improper frequency change and an excursion from assigned altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 525070 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200109 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : clt.airport |
| State Reference | NC |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 8000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : dtw.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : clt.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 8853 flight time type : 2600 |
| ASRS Report | 525070 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Being vectored by clt approach for ILS runway 23. Level 8000 ft approximately 20 mi southeast clt. Received clearance to 5000 ft and given frequency change. Confirmed assigned altitude and changed frequency. Started descent while captain attempted to contact approach. After approximately 7500 ft after 2ND attempt to contact ATC approach controller told us to return to previous frequency. I slowed descent as we switched back to previous frequency. Upon contact, controller said that the clearance had been for another aircraft and for us to maintain 6000 ft. I recall that aircraft Y had been on our frequency. Remainder of flight was uneventful. Upon taxiing toward the ramp, ground controller mistakenly called us 'aircraft Y' 2 times before we clarified that aircraft X was taxiing on 'taxiway M.' appears that both aircraft call numbers can be confused.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SIMILAR CALL SIGNS AND THE ACCEPTANCE OF ANOTHER CLRNC LEAD TO AN IMPROPER FREQ CHANGE AND AN EXCURSION FROM ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative: BEING VECTORED BY CLT APCH FOR ILS RWY 23. LEVEL 8000 FT APPROX 20 MI SE CLT. RECEIVED CLRNC TO 5000 FT AND GIVEN FREQ CHANGE. CONFIRMED ASSIGNED ALT AND CHANGED FREQ. STARTED DSCNT WHILE CAPT ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT APCH. AFTER APPROX 7500 FT AFTER 2ND ATTEMPT TO CONTACT ATC APCH CTLR TOLD US TO RETURN TO PREVIOUS FREQ. I SLOWED DSCNT AS WE SWITCHED BACK TO PREVIOUS FREQ. UPON CONTACT, CTLR SAID THAT THE CLRNC HAD BEEN FOR ANOTHER ACFT AND FOR US TO MAINTAIN 6000 FT. I RECALL THAT ACFT Y HAD BEEN ON OUR FREQ. REMAINDER OF FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. UPON TAXIING TOWARD THE RAMP, GND CTLR MISTAKENLY CALLED US 'ACFT Y' 2 TIMES BEFORE WE CLARIFIED THAT ACFT X WAS TAXIING ON 'TXWY M.' APPEARS THAT BOTH ACFT CALL NUMBERS CAN BE CONFUSED.
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.