Narrative:

We were cleared to takeoff from cle runway 6L; fly heading 095 and climb to 5000 ft. After takeoff we were instructed to contact departure control. I flipped the switch and finished our climb duties in configuring the aircraft before checking in. When I did check in; I reported our passing altitude and assigned altitude and was instructed to climb to fl 230 and cleared direct to aco. After a few moments I realized that the controller had said he was cle center and not cle departure. I checked the frequency we were on (128.15) which was center and not the cle departure frequency of 118.15. At first I thought cle center was working the airspace but decided to query the controller to find out if they normally did this. He apparently had just spoken with the cle departure controller and relayed to us that they wanted to talk with us upon landing at our destination and gave us their contact number. After arrival I called the number and was told that they were concerned that we had continued our climb and changed heading without clearance and that they had issued heading changes to other aircraft. I explained to him that we had contacted cle center by mistake and was issued the clearance by them. He said that he had not spoken with them yet and would decide further action based on what they said. I gave him some basic personal information and he gave me the contact number for cle center. I subsequently called cle center at our next stop and was told that there was no problem on their part and that as far as they were concerned; it was just normal controlling. After discussing this event with the first officer; he said that we had been given an additional tower frequency after crossing runway 6R and continuing taxi to 6L which was on another frequency. This may have caused us to enter the frequency of 128.15 instead of 118.15. When I flipped the switch; I did look at the frequency but with their similarity; I believe I saw it as the proper frequency. I also did not fully understand that once we checked in with cle center they did not tell us to contact cle departure on the proper frequency; but instead gave us a continued climb to fl 230 and a clearance direct to aco. In retrospect; I should have been quicker to query the controller about the confusion we were experiencing about who we should be talking to.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air carrier departure from CLE inadvertently contacted ZOB in lieu of CLE Departure as instructed; resulting in unexpected turns and climb.

Narrative: We were cleared to takeoff from CLE Runway 6L; fly heading 095 and climb to 5000 FT. After takeoff we were instructed to contact Departure Control. I flipped the switch and finished our climb duties in configuring the aircraft before checking in. When I did check in; I reported our passing altitude and assigned altitude and was instructed to climb to FL 230 and cleared direct to ACO. After a few moments I realized that the Controller had said he was CLE Center and not CLE Departure. I checked the frequency we were on (128.15) which was Center and not the CLE Departure frequency of 118.15. At first I thought CLE Center was working the airspace but decided to query the Controller to find out if they normally did this. He apparently had just spoken with the CLE Departure Controller and relayed to us that they wanted to talk with us upon landing at our destination and gave us their contact number. After arrival I called the number and was told that they were concerned that we had continued our climb and changed heading without clearance and that they had issued heading changes to other aircraft. I explained to him that we had contacted CLE Center by mistake and was issued the clearance by them. He said that he had not spoken with them yet and would decide further action based on what they said. I gave him some basic personal information and he gave me the contact number for CLE Center. I subsequently called CLE Center at our next stop and was told that there was no problem on their part and that as far as they were concerned; it was just normal controlling. After discussing this event with the First Officer; he said that we had been given an additional Tower frequency after crossing Runway 6R and continuing taxi to 6L which was on another frequency. This may have caused us to enter the frequency of 128.15 instead of 118.15. When I flipped the switch; I did look at the frequency but with their similarity; I believe I saw it as the proper frequency. I also did not fully understand that once we checked in with CLE Center they did not tell us to contact CLE Departure on the proper frequency; but instead gave us a continued climb to FL 230 and a clearance direct to ACO. In retrospect; I should have been quicker to query the Controller about the confusion we were experiencing about who we should be talking to.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.