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Air carrier widebody transport took clearance meant for another widebody transport and started premature turn and descent.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 80347 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198801 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : jfk |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 14500 msl bound upper : 15000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 100 |
| ASRS Report | 80347 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 800 |
| ASRS Report | 80270 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were 10 mi west of jfk being vectored for an approach to that airport. Our call sign was air carrier ej (widebody transport X) and we were at an altitude of 15000' and a heading of 180 degrees. I was flying at the time. The first officer, in response to a radio call which I did not hear, said, 'roger air carrier 'ej' (widebody transport X) left to 020 and des to 2000'.' I did not hear the controller acknowledge. I began shallow bank and a gradual des while I asked the first officer to reconfirm the instructions. The frequency was very busy and he had trouble getting approach control to answer. I stopped my des at 14500' and just at that time approach control called us saying, 'air carrier 'ej' widebody transport X, where are you going?' as the first officer answered the radio I immediately returned the aircraft to its original heading and altitude. It was determined that we had taken a heading and altitude change meant for air carrier 'jn' widebody transport Y. I highly recommend 2 things: 1) that we return to an earlier policy of reading back numbers one digit at a time. For example, saying 'one six' rather than '16,' and 'six zero' rather than '60.' 2) that controllers wait for acknowledgement before proceeding to the next item of business. That is difficult when things are busy, but that is when it is needed most. For my part, if I'm not absolutely certain that an instruction is for my flight, I'll confirm before acting on it. No conflict in airspace resulted from the above. Supplemental information from acn 80270: there was air carrier B 'jn' widebody transport Y on the frequency. With the controller's radio difficult to understand, the difference between 'jn' and 'ej' would be difficult to hear. The controller was working 3-4 air carrier a flts. Along with the air carrier B and possibly others. He may have said air carrier a 'ej' widebody transport X/air carrier B 'jn' widebody transport Y or any combination of the two. I was preoccupied with tuning the ILS frequency and identifying.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR WDB TOOK CLRNC MEANT FOR ANOTHER WDB AND STARTED PREMATURE TURN AND DESCENT.
Narrative: WE WERE 10 MI W OF JFK BEING VECTORED FOR AN APCH TO THAT ARPT. OUR CALL SIGN WAS ACR EJ (WDB X) AND WE WERE AT AN ALT OF 15000' AND A HDG OF 180 DEGS. I WAS FLYING AT THE TIME. THE F/O, IN RESPONSE TO A RADIO CALL WHICH I DID NOT HEAR, SAID, 'ROGER ACR 'EJ' (WDB X) LEFT TO 020 AND DES TO 2000'.' I DID NOT HEAR THE CTLR ACKNOWLEDGE. I BEGAN SHALLOW BANK AND A GRADUAL DES WHILE I ASKED THE F/O TO RECONFIRM THE INSTRUCTIONS. THE FREQ WAS VERY BUSY AND HE HAD TROUBLE GETTING APCH CTL TO ANSWER. I STOPPED MY DES AT 14500' AND JUST AT THAT TIME APCH CTL CALLED US SAYING, 'ACR 'EJ' WDB X, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?' AS THE F/O ANSWERED THE RADIO I IMMEDIATELY RETURNED THE ACFT TO ITS ORIGINAL HDG AND ALT. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT WE HAD TAKEN A HDG AND ALT CHANGE MEANT FOR ACR 'JN' WDB Y. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND 2 THINGS: 1) THAT WE RETURN TO AN EARLIER POLICY OF READING BACK NUMBERS ONE DIGIT AT A TIME. FOR EXAMPLE, SAYING 'ONE SIX' RATHER THAN '16,' AND 'SIX ZERO' RATHER THAN '60.' 2) THAT CTLRS WAIT FOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BEFORE PROCEEDING TO THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS. THAT IS DIFFICULT WHEN THINGS ARE BUSY, BUT THAT IS WHEN IT IS NEEDED MOST. FOR MY PART, IF I'M NOT ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT AN INSTRUCTION IS FOR MY FLT, I'LL CONFIRM BEFORE ACTING ON IT. NO CONFLICT IN AIRSPACE RESULTED FROM THE ABOVE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 80270: THERE WAS ACR B 'JN' WDB Y ON THE FREQ. WITH THE CTLR'S RADIO DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND, THE DIFFERENCE BTWN 'JN' AND 'EJ' WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO HEAR. THE CTLR WAS WORKING 3-4 ACR A FLTS. ALONG WITH THE ACR B AND POSSIBLY OTHERS. HE MAY HAVE SAID ACR A 'EJ' WDB X/ACR B 'JN' WDB Y OR ANY COMBINATION OF THE TWO. I WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH TUNING THE ILS FREQ AND IDENTIFYING.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.