A B767 ETOPS cargo flight crew has moments of confusion as to the validity of their clearance receiv...

Attributes
ACN	551200
Time
Date	200206
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : nibog
Altitude	msl single value : 32000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : eggx.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
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 : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 147 flight time total : 9349 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	551200
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Navigational Facility Aircraft ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Intra Facility Coordination Failure Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

We requested our oceanic clearance via ACARS and received the standard message, 'if no clearance received within 20 mins, revert to voice procedures.' approximately 5 mins later, we received our oceanic clearance via ACARS at XA01Z. Approximately 10 mins later, we accepted the clearance via ACARS. We thought all was good and our oceanic clearance was received (cleared as filed). At nibog (coast out point), XA35Z, shanwick on VHF read our full route clearance when we checked in. I read it all back as well as our oceanic clearance number. At this point, I thought shanwick was confirming our clearance. Approximately 5 mins later, we checked in on HF with a SELCAL check. A few mins later, shanwick SELCAL'ed us and asked why we ignored the message 'call shanwick by voice.' the 3 of us do not recall seeing such a message (which they said was sent at XA25Z) and no messages were stored other than the WX/ETOPS ok message. Shanwick said it was not a problem but make sure to acknowledge such a message (which we would have). About 10 mins later, shanwick SELCAL'ed us again and asked if we knew it was mandatory to acknowledge that message. I told them the only message I recalled receiving (other than the oceanic clearance) was the 'if no clearance received in 20 mins, revert to voice procedures,' but we had our clearance. Again, shanwick said no problem. At this point, I asked shanwick if we needed to file a report and they said no. After further discussion with my crew, we decided there was a miscom with shanwick and quite possibly, shanwick thought we were about to coast out without an oceanic clearance. I decided to call them on HF a third time and explain that at XA11Z, we had received our oceanic clearance and that we accepted it about 10 mins later. Again, shanwick said he would pass that information along but again stated no report would be filed. I have been doing oceanic xings for 16 of my last 19 yrs of flying and I know not to coast out without oceanic clearance. This is my first crossing in which I received my shanwick oceanic clearance via ACARS and in hindsight, found it somewhat confusing. After accepting the clearance via the 'accept' prompt, we felt at that point we had our oceanic clearance. In the future, I will continue to call shanwick every time with my clearance number in order to avoid confusion between us and shanwick.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767 ETOPS CARGO FLC HAS MOMENTS OF CONFUSION AS TO THE VALIDITY OF THEIR CLRNC RECEIVED FROM SHANWICK VIA ACARS, PRIOR TO THEIR COAST OUT POINT AT NIBOG INTXN, FO.

Narrative: WE REQUESTED OUR OCEANIC CLRNC VIA ACARS AND RECEIVED THE STANDARD MESSAGE, 'IF NO CLRNC RECEIVED WITHIN 20 MINS, REVERT TO VOICE PROCS.' APPROX 5 MINS LATER, WE RECEIVED OUR OCEANIC CLRNC VIA ACARS AT XA01Z. APPROX 10 MINS LATER, WE ACCEPTED THE CLRNC VIA ACARS. WE THOUGHT ALL WAS GOOD AND OUR OCEANIC CLRNC WAS RECEIVED (CLRED AS FILED). AT NIBOG (COAST OUT POINT), XA35Z, SHANWICK ON VHF READ OUR FULL RTE CLRNC WHEN WE CHKED IN. I READ IT ALL BACK AS WELL AS OUR OCEANIC CLRNC NUMBER. AT THIS POINT, I THOUGHT SHANWICK WAS CONFIRMING OUR CLRNC. APPROX 5 MINS LATER, WE CHKED IN ON HF WITH A SELCAL CHK. A FEW MINS LATER, SHANWICK SELCAL'ED US AND ASKED WHY WE IGNORED THE MESSAGE 'CALL SHANWICK BY VOICE.' THE 3 OF US DO NOT RECALL SEEING SUCH A MESSAGE (WHICH THEY SAID WAS SENT AT XA25Z) AND NO MESSAGES WERE STORED OTHER THAN THE WX/ETOPS OK MESSAGE. SHANWICK SAID IT WAS NOT A PROB BUT MAKE SURE TO ACKNOWLEDGE SUCH A MESSAGE (WHICH WE WOULD HAVE). ABOUT 10 MINS LATER, SHANWICK SELCAL'ED US AGAIN AND ASKED IF WE KNEW IT WAS MANDATORY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MESSAGE. I TOLD THEM THE ONLY MESSAGE I RECALLED RECEIVING (OTHER THAN THE OCEANIC CLRNC) WAS THE 'IF NO CLRNC RECEIVED IN 20 MINS, REVERT TO VOICE PROCS,' BUT WE HAD OUR CLRNC. AGAIN, SHANWICK SAID NO PROB. AT THIS POINT, I ASKED SHANWICK IF WE NEEDED TO FILE A RPT AND THEY SAID NO. AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH MY CREW, WE DECIDED THERE WAS A MISCOM WITH SHANWICK AND QUITE POSSIBLY, SHANWICK THOUGHT WE WERE ABOUT TO COAST OUT WITHOUT AN OCEANIC CLRNC. I DECIDED TO CALL THEM ON HF A THIRD TIME AND EXPLAIN THAT AT XA11Z, WE HAD RECEIVED OUR OCEANIC CLRNC AND THAT WE ACCEPTED IT ABOUT 10 MINS LATER. AGAIN, SHANWICK SAID HE WOULD PASS THAT INFO ALONG BUT AGAIN STATED NO RPT WOULD BE FILED. I HAVE BEEN DOING OCEANIC XINGS FOR 16 OF MY LAST 19 YRS OF FLYING AND I KNOW NOT TO COAST OUT WITHOUT OCEANIC CLRNC. THIS IS MY FIRST XING IN WHICH I RECEIVED MY SHANWICK OCEANIC CLRNC VIA ACARS AND IN HINDSIGHT, FOUND IT SOMEWHAT CONFUSING. AFTER ACCEPTING THE CLRNC VIA THE 'ACCEPT' PROMPT, WE FELT AT THAT POINT WE HAD OUR OCEANIC CLRNC. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL CONTINUE TO CALL SHANWICK EVERY TIME WITH MY CLRNC NUMBER IN ORDER TO AVOID CONFUSION BTWN US AND SHANWICK.

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.

A B767 ETOPS cargo flight crew has moments of confusion as to the validity of their clearance received from shanwick via ACARS, prior to their coast out point at nibog intersection, first officer.