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An altitude excursion results from using the wrong frequency and receiving a clearance for a visual approach from tower when the intention was to be communicating with approach control.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 528238 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200110 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sjc.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 7000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : o90.tracon tower : sjc.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-700 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 500 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 9000 |
| ASRS Report | 528238 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 1500 |
| ASRS Report | 528451 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
A night visual approach to runway 30L at sjc was anticipated per ATIS. Level 7000 ft with airport in sight on left downwind. Approach control handed us over to the next frequency 120.1. The first officer dialed in 120.7 by mistake and I didn't catch it (120.7 is sjc tower frequency for runway 29!). He reported in 'aircraft X level 7000 ft with airport in sight' the tower controller for runway 29 cleared us for a visual approach! I began descending and maneuvering toward the airport when I heard him clear an aircraft for takeoff. I immediately leveled off and a climb back toward 7000 ft and directed the first officer to return to last approach frequency. They cleared us to maintain 6000 ft and continued vectoring us for a 12 mi final! This resulted in an altitude deviation and could have gotten a lot worse. I don't know what the tower controller for the GA runway was thinking. 'Air carrier X' does not sound much like 'cessna.' obviously we erred in dialing the frequency and I will be more vigilant of the PNF in the future.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ALT EXCURSION RESULTS FROM USING THE WRONG FREQ AND RECEIVING A CLRNC FOR A VISUAL APCH FROM TWR WHEN THE INTENTION WAS TO BE COMMUNICATING WITH APCH CTL.
Narrative: A NIGHT VISUAL APCH TO RWY 30L AT SJC WAS ANTICIPATED PER ATIS. LEVEL 7000 FT WITH ARPT IN SIGHT ON L DOWNWIND. APCH CTL HANDED US OVER TO THE NEXT FREQ 120.1. THE FO DIALED IN 120.7 BY MISTAKE AND I DIDN'T CATCH IT (120.7 IS SJC TWR FREQ FOR RWY 29!). HE RPTED IN 'ACFT X LEVEL 7000 FT WITH ARPT IN SIGHT' THE TWR CTLR FOR RWY 29 CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH! I BEGAN DSNDING AND MANEUVERING TOWARD THE ARPT WHEN I HEARD HIM CLR AN ACFT FOR TKOF. I IMMEDIATELY LEVELED OFF AND A CLB BACK TOWARD 7000 FT AND DIRECTED THE FO TO RETURN TO LAST APCH FREQ. THEY CLRED US TO MAINTAIN 6000 FT AND CONTINUED VECTORING US FOR A 12 MI FINAL! THIS RESULTED IN AN ALT DEV AND COULD HAVE GOTTEN A LOT WORSE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TWR CTLR FOR THE GA RWY WAS THINKING. 'ACR X' DOES NOT SOUND MUCH LIKE 'CESSNA.' OBVIOUSLY WE ERRED IN DIALING THE FREQ AND I WILL BE MORE VIGILANT OF THE PNF IN THE FUTURE.
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.