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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Ord inbound accepted descent clearance for another aircraft; reporter alleging air carrier's four digit call signs create addition confusion.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 813711 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200811 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : grr.airport |
| State Reference | MI |
| Altitude | msl single value : 20000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zau.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | arrival star : paitn |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 813711 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial |
| ASRS Report | 813710 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory |
| Consequence | faa : assigned or threatened penalties faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Deviation |
Narrative:
We were at FL200 on the paitn 1 arrival into ord. We received a clearance to cross fiyer at 9000 ft. I checked the VNAV to see what descent rate we would need to comply with the crossing restr. Upon beginning the descent; the first officer confirmed with ATC that we were cleared to cross fiyer at 9000 ft. The controller replied that we were cleared to cross fiyer at 9000 ft. Shortly after the controller came back and said that clearance was for another aircraft; but to continue to cross fiyer at 9000 ft. A few mins later; the controller came back on; and said that his supervisor wanted us to call ATC when we got on the ground for an altitude deviation; however; in the controller's opinion; there were no deviations. I called the center when we arrived at the gate; and he stated that he was looking into the event and would get back with me. There were other air carrier flts inbound to ord with similar flight numbers; xywy; xwwx; and xwxx. We did confirm the clearance as we began the descent; and don't believe there was an altitude deviation at the time the controller confirmed the clearance. I believe using the 4 numbers of the flight numbers has made it easier to get clrncs confused; compared to when we use only the last 3 numbers of the flight number.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ORD INBOUND ACCEPTED DESCENT CLEARANCE FOR ANOTHER AIRCRAFT; REPORTER ALLEGING AIR CARRIER'S FOUR DIGIT CALL SIGNS CREATE ADDITION CONFUSION.
Narrative: WE WERE AT FL200 ON THE PAITN 1 ARR INTO ORD. WE RECEIVED A CLRNC TO CROSS FIYER AT 9000 FT. I CHKED THE VNAV TO SEE WHAT DSCNT RATE WE WOULD NEED TO COMPLY WITH THE XING RESTR. UPON BEGINNING THE DSCNT; THE FO CONFIRMED WITH ATC THAT WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS FIYER AT 9000 FT. THE CTLR REPLIED THAT WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS FIYER AT 9000 FT. SHORTLY AFTER THE CTLR CAME BACK AND SAID THAT CLRNC WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT; BUT TO CONTINUE TO CROSS FIYER AT 9000 FT. A FEW MINS LATER; THE CTLR CAME BACK ON; AND SAID THAT HIS SUPVR WANTED US TO CALL ATC WHEN WE GOT ON THE GND FOR AN ALTDEV; HOWEVER; IN THE CTLR'S OPINION; THERE WERE NO DEVS. I CALLED THE CTR WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE GATE; AND HE STATED THAT HE WAS LOOKING INTO THE EVENT AND WOULD GET BACK WITH ME. THERE WERE OTHER ACR FLTS INBOUND TO ORD WITH SIMILAR FLT NUMBERS; XYWY; XWWX; AND XWXX. WE DID CONFIRM THE CLRNC AS WE BEGAN THE DSCNT; AND DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS AN ALTDEV AT THE TIME THE CTLR CONFIRMED THE CLRNC. I BELIEVE USING THE 4 NUMBERS OF THE FLT NUMBERS HAS MADE IT EASIER TO GET CLRNCS CONFUSED; COMPARED TO WHEN WE USE ONLY THE LAST 3 NUMBERS OF THE FLT NUMBER.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.