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Air carrier began climb in response to clearance meant for another air carrier aircraft. Potential conflict, but error noted before critical separation loss.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 83401 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198803 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ord |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5400 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : ord tower : atl |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 83401 |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
| Air Traffic Incident | other other |
Narrative:
I was flying and the first officer was doing the non flying duties. We were departing O'hare. After leveling at 5000' MSL, we were changed over to departure control. After the first officer made the initial call, the controller said, 'roger, air carrier X climb to 14000'.' the first officer read back the clearance. The controller didn't dispute the readback and I started to climb. Immediately thereafter the controller cleared our company flight Y, with a flight number very similar to ours, to 14000'. The first officer said to me, 'wait, I think our climb clearance was for someone else.' I leveled my climb at 5400' MSL. Almost immediately thereafter, the controller said to us, 'air carrier X, I have you level at 5000'.' the controller then pointed out inbound traffic. I quickly descended to 5000' MSL. I'm not sure whether this clearance error was caused by the controller or us. The frequency was very congested and the controller was very busy. The controller may have confused the similar flight numbers and issued an erroneous clearance. The heavy workload also probably caused the controller to fail to comment on our readback. On the other hand, the error may have been caused by us taking another flight's climb clearance. The first officer and I are not sure where the fault lies. However, we feel the error would not have occurred if the frequency and controller were not overloaded.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR BEGAN CLIMB IN RESPONSE TO CLRNC MEANT FOR ANOTHER ACR ACFT. POTENTIAL CONFLICT, BUT ERROR NOTED BEFORE CRITICAL SEPARATION LOSS.
Narrative: I WAS FLYING AND THE F/O WAS DOING THE NON FLYING DUTIES. WE WERE DEPARTING O'HARE. AFTER LEVELING AT 5000' MSL, WE WERE CHANGED OVER TO DEP CTL. AFTER THE F/O MADE THE INITIAL CALL, THE CTLR SAID, 'ROGER, ACR X CLB TO 14000'.' THE F/O READ BACK THE CLRNC. THE CTLR DIDN'T DISPUTE THE READBACK AND I STARTED TO CLB. IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER THE CTLR CLRED OUR COMPANY FLT Y, WITH A FLT NUMBER VERY SIMILAR TO OURS, TO 14000'. THE F/O SAID TO ME, 'WAIT, I THINK OUR CLB CLRNC WAS FOR SOMEONE ELSE.' I LEVELED MY CLB AT 5400' MSL. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER, THE CTLR SAID TO US, 'ACR X, I HAVE YOU LEVEL AT 5000'.' THE CTLR THEN POINTED OUT INBND TFC. I QUICKLY DSNDED TO 5000' MSL. I'M NOT SURE WHETHER THIS CLRNC ERROR WAS CAUSED BY THE CTLR OR US. THE FREQ WAS VERY CONGESTED AND THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY. THE CTLR MAY HAVE CONFUSED THE SIMILAR FLT NUMBERS AND ISSUED AN ERRONEOUS CLRNC. THE HEAVY WORKLOAD ALSO PROBABLY CAUSED THE CTLR TO FAIL TO COMMENT ON OUR READBACK. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE ERROR MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY US TAKING ANOTHER FLT'S CLB CLRNC. THE F/O AND I ARE NOT SURE WHERE THE FAULT LIES. HOWEVER, WE FEEL THE ERROR WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IF THE FREQ AND CTLR WERE NOT OVERLOADED.
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.