Narrative:

On sep/thu/03, I was advised by the company chief pilot that he had been contacted by the local FSDO regarding an ATC conflict involving a flight in which I was the sic on sep/mon/03. My recollection of the phase of flight in which the conflict occurred is as follows: during en route climb in a learjet on a flight from bhm to lbe, between FL250 and FL300, ATC issued a clearance to climb to a higher flight level. I read back the clearance with call sign to ATC and we initiated the climb. Several mins later, we heard a flight crew question ATC as to whether their climb clearance had been accepted by another aircraft. ATC confirmed that it had been accepted by another aircraft and gave them a clearance to a higher flight level. ATC then contacted us and advised that we continue climb to our assigned altitude. We were never advised of a conflict and there was no further communication in regard to the event. There was a high volume of radio traffic at the time of this occurrence. It is possible that the other aircraft involved had a call sign similar to ours. The radio xmissions of pilots and controllers alike can be difficult to hear/understand due to the individual being soft spoken, having a regional accent or speaking too rapidly. Pilots and controllers both should strive for articulate and accurate radio procedures. Pilots are required to read back critical ATC clrncs (altitudes, headings) and should use their aircraft call sign. ATC should ensure that the clearance is properly received by the intended aircraft. Clear and concise communications and monitoring by all involved could help prevent the reoccurrence of this type of event. Supplemental information from acn 594566: there was no conversation of an airspace incursion at that time. The only contributing factor that I can think of is the high volume of air traffic at the time. Clear and concise communication between both parties could possibly correct the problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT EXCURSION BY A LEARJET CREW WHEN THE FO RESPONDS TO AN INCORRECT CALL SIGN ON FREQ WITH ZTL, GA.

Narrative: ON SEP/THU/03, I WAS ADVISED BY THE COMPANY CHIEF PLT THAT HE HAD BEEN CONTACTED BY THE LCL FSDO REGARDING AN ATC CONFLICT INVOLVING A FLT IN WHICH I WAS THE SIC ON SEP/MON/03. MY RECOLLECTION OF THE PHASE OF FLT IN WHICH THE CONFLICT OCCURRED IS AS FOLLOWS: DURING ENRTE CLB IN A LEARJET ON A FLT FROM BHM TO LBE, BTWN FL250 AND FL300, ATC ISSUED A CLRNC TO CLB TO A HIGHER FLT LEVEL. I READ BACK THE CLRNC WITH CALL SIGN TO ATC AND WE INITIATED THE CLB. SEVERAL MINS LATER, WE HEARD A FLT CREW QUESTION ATC AS TO WHETHER THEIR CLB CLRNC HAD BEEN ACCEPTED BY ANOTHER ACFT. ATC CONFIRMED THAT IT HAD BEEN ACCEPTED BY ANOTHER ACFT AND GAVE THEM A CLRNC TO A HIGHER FLT LEVEL. ATC THEN CONTACTED US AND ADVISED THAT WE CONTINUE CLB TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT. WE WERE NEVER ADVISED OF A CONFLICT AND THERE WAS NO FURTHER COM IN REGARD TO THE EVENT. THERE WAS A HIGH VOLUME OF RADIO TFC AT THE TIME OF THIS OCCURRENCE. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE OTHER ACFT INVOLVED HAD A CALL SIGN SIMILAR TO OURS. THE RADIO XMISSIONS OF PLTS AND CTLRS ALIKE CAN BE DIFFICULT TO HEAR/UNDERSTAND DUE TO THE INDIVIDUAL BEING SOFT SPOKEN, HAVING A REGIONAL ACCENT OR SPEAKING TOO RAPIDLY. PLTS AND CTLRS BOTH SHOULD STRIVE FOR ARTICULATE AND ACCURATE RADIO PROCS. PLTS ARE REQUIRED TO READ BACK CRITICAL ATC CLRNCS (ALTS, HEADINGS) AND SHOULD USE THEIR ACFT CALL SIGN. ATC SHOULD ENSURE THAT THE CLRNC IS PROPERLY RECEIVED BY THE INTENDED ACFT. CLR AND CONCISE COMS AND MONITORING BY ALL INVOLVED COULD HELP PREVENT THE REOCCURRENCE OF THIS TYPE OF EVENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 594566: THERE WAS NO CONVERSATION OF AN AIRSPACE INCURSION AT THAT TIME. THE ONLY CONTRIBUTING FACTOR THAT I CAN THINK OF IS THE HIGH VOLUME OF AIR TFC AT THE TIME. CLR AND CONCISE COM BTWN BOTH PARTIES COULD POSSIBLY CORRECT THE PROB.

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.