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A319 crew and a company flight with a similar call sign took the altitude clearance for the other aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 612126 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200403 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : hbu.vortac |
| State Reference | CO |
| Altitude | msl single value : 35000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdv.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A319 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change cruise : level descent : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdv.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 612126 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Company Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were going direct pgs VOR. We heard our call sign and 'descend to FL310.' at FL341, ATC asked our altitude. We repeated the descent clearance. She said it was for our company flight, then cleared us to FL310. Company seemed surprised that it was them that had the descent clearance. Contributing factors: 1) company having similar call signs scheduled to be in the same area at the same time. 2) last flying leg of a long 4 day crew. 3RD day of crew was 5 legs 10+ hours of duty. Rest 10 hours. 4TH day scheduled for 13+ hours of duty. 3) controller failing to catch our incorrect call sign readback. 4) it is not unusual for us to be issued an early descent out of FL350 or FL390 to FL310. Preventive measures: 1) eliminate similar call signs. 2) pilots listen close to call signs. 3) controllers listen to readbacks. 4) less tiring schedules.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A319 CREW AND A COMPANY FLT WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN TOOK THE ALT CLRNC FOR THE OTHER ACFT.
Narrative: WE WERE GOING DIRECT PGS VOR. WE HEARD OUR CALL SIGN AND 'DSND TO FL310.' AT FL341, ATC ASKED OUR ALT. WE REPEATED THE DSCNT CLRNC. SHE SAID IT WAS FOR OUR COMPANY FLT, THEN CLRED US TO FL310. COMPANY SEEMED SURPRISED THAT IT WAS THEM THAT HAD THE DSCNT CLRNC. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) COMPANY HAVING SIMILAR CALL SIGNS SCHEDULED TO BE IN THE SAME AREA AT THE SAME TIME. 2) LAST FLYING LEG OF A LONG 4 DAY CREW. 3RD DAY OF CREW WAS 5 LEGS 10+ HRS OF DUTY. REST 10 HRS. 4TH DAY SCHEDULED FOR 13+ HRS OF DUTY. 3) CTLR FAILING TO CATCH OUR INCORRECT CALL SIGN READBACK. 4) IT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR US TO BE ISSUED AN EARLY DSCNT OUT OF FL350 OR FL390 TO FL310. PREVENTIVE MEASURES: 1) ELIMINATE SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. 2) PLTS LISTEN CLOSE TO CALL SIGNS. 3) CTLRS LISTEN TO READBACKS. 4) LESS TIRING SCHEDULES.
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.