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B737 flight crew heard and read back clearance to descend. While descending; ATC informed flight they were not cleared to descend; that clearance was for company with similar sounding call sign.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 737142 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200704 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : ddp.ndb |
| State Reference | PR |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 38000 msl bound upper : 39000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : tjzs.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-800 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Route In Use | enroute : other oceanic |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| ASRS Report | 737142 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| ASRS Report | 737141 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
Our flight YYYY took off mins behind flight XXXX. We had to maintain good radio vigilance because of 'similar sounding call signs.' the controllers mixed us up a couple of time all the way to san juan. Sju ATC told our flight YYYY to leave FL390 and descend to FL310. I read back the clearance. Then as we departed FL390; I called and said YYYY departing FL390. ATC said roger. As we descended through FL380; ATC said are you descending YYYY? I said yes to FL310 as cleared. ATC said that was for XXXX and asked us to climb back to FL390; which we did. ATC then asked XXXX if he got the clearance to descend to FL310 and he said negative. This exact thing has happened to me before. Even with the pilots and ATC doing their best work; it is easy to mix up similar sounding call signs and inadvertently give someone a bad clearance. I hope you can fix this problem for safety's sake.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737 FLT CREW HEARD AND READ BACK CLEARANCE TO DESCEND. WHILE DESCENDING; ATC INFORMED FLIGHT THEY WERE NOT CLEARED TO DESCEND; THAT CLEARANCE WAS FOR COMPANY WITH SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN.
Narrative: OUR FLT YYYY TOOK OFF MINS BEHIND FLT XXXX. WE HAD TO MAINTAIN GOOD RADIO VIGILANCE BECAUSE OF 'SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS.' THE CTLRS MIXED US UP A COUPLE OF TIME ALL THE WAY TO SAN JUAN. SJU ATC TOLD OUR FLT YYYY TO LEAVE FL390 AND DSND TO FL310. I READ BACK THE CLRNC. THEN AS WE DEPARTED FL390; I CALLED AND SAID YYYY DEPARTING FL390. ATC SAID ROGER. AS WE DSNDED THROUGH FL380; ATC SAID ARE YOU DSNDING YYYY? I SAID YES TO FL310 AS CLRED. ATC SAID THAT WAS FOR XXXX AND ASKED US TO CLB BACK TO FL390; WHICH WE DID. ATC THEN ASKED XXXX IF HE GOT THE CLRNC TO DSND TO FL310 AND HE SAID NEGATIVE. THIS EXACT THING HAS HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE. EVEN WITH THE PLTS AND ATC DOING THEIR BEST WORK; IT IS EASY TO MIX UP SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS AND INADVERTENTLY GIVE SOMEONE A BAD CLRNC. I HOPE YOU CAN FIX THIS PROB FOR SAFETY'S SAKE.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.