Commuter light transport altitude deviation overshot in reply to wrong call sign.

Attributes
ACN	82709
Time
Date	198802
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : private pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	82709
Person 2
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft departed ATC cleared on new departure procedure to 4000'. Captain checked in with departure on 119.8 and controller then cleared to 6000'. Controller did not notify XXX that there was an air carrier Y XXX on same frequency at this time. We had acknowledged the climb to 6000' and when passing through 4600' the controller asked us our altitude. Captain responded out of 4700' for 6000'. Controller told us that was for a different aircraft. He had never responded to the captain's acknowledgement that we were climbing to 6000' until we had passed through 4500'. Both captain and I heard him give XXX clearance to 6000' and never heard him say air carrier Y XXX instead of air carrier X XXX. This new departure procedure in atl is causing many altitude violations. Not only are many pilots used ot the immediate climb to 10000', but the controllers don't seem to be as alert. They are keeping turboprops low for 30 mi or more and this is creating a very uncomfortable ride for the passenger.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOT IN REPLY TO WRONG CALL SIGN.

Narrative: ACFT DEPARTED ATC CLRED ON NEW DEP PROC TO 4000'. CAPT CHKED IN WITH DEP ON 119.8 AND CTLR THEN CLRED TO 6000'. CTLR DID NOT NOTIFY XXX THAT THERE WAS AN ACR Y XXX ON SAME FREQ AT THIS TIME. WE HAD ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLB TO 6000' AND WHEN PASSING THROUGH 4600' THE CTLR ASKED US OUR ALT. CAPT RESPONDED OUT OF 4700' FOR 6000'. CTLR TOLD US THAT WAS FOR A DIFFERENT ACFT. HE HAD NEVER RESPONDED TO THE CAPT'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT WE WERE CLBING TO 6000' UNTIL WE HAD PASSED THROUGH 4500'. BOTH CAPT AND I HEARD HIM GIVE XXX CLRNC TO 6000' AND NEVER HEARD HIM SAY ACR Y XXX INSTEAD OF ACR X XXX. THIS NEW DEP PROC IN ATL IS CAUSING MANY ALT VIOLATIONS. NOT ONLY ARE MANY PLTS USED OT THE IMMEDIATE CLB TO 10000', BUT THE CTLRS DON'T SEEM TO BE AS ALERT. THEY ARE KEEPING TURBOPROPS LOW FOR 30 MI OR MORE AND THIS IS CREATING A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE RIDE FOR THE PAX.

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.