Controller working 2 sectors issued descent clearance to aircraft acknowledged by another and descen...

Attributes
ACN	94649
Time
Date	198809
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cha
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14500 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	94649
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	94684
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were given a frequency change from atl to ZME while cruising at 16000' MSL en route to bna. The ATC controller was very busy and I had to call twice before I received a response. Upon acknowledging our check-in a clearance was issued for a descent to 11000' MSL to another company aircraft on another frequency. I thought that it was issued to us. I acknowledged the descent to reading back 11000'. At 14500' the controller asked for our altitude, informed me that the clearance was for another aircraft, and issued a descent to 14000' MSL for us. I believe this is what happened: the controller was working 2 frequencys and very busy. He acknowledged my check-in after 2 calls, issued a descent to a company on another frequency west/O indicating a break in the transmission. I acknowledged the clearance, but received no confirmation from center. I didn't hear the readback by company and he didn't hear mine because of different frequencys. The descent clearance was expected at about that time as we were nearing our destination. Fortunately, no conflict developed. Solution: listen up and single frequency operation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR WORKING 2 SECTORS ISSUED DESCENT CLRNC TO ACFT ACKNOWLEDGED BY ANOTHER AND DESCENT BEGUN.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE FROM ATL TO ZME WHILE CRUISING AT 16000' MSL ENRTE TO BNA. THE ATC CTLR WAS VERY BUSY AND I HAD TO CALL TWICE BEFORE I RECEIVED A RESPONSE. UPON ACKNOWLEDGING OUR CHK-IN A CLRNC WAS ISSUED FOR A DSCNT TO 11000' MSL TO ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT ON ANOTHER FREQ. I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS ISSUED TO US. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE DSCNT TO READING BACK 11000'. AT 14500' THE CTLR ASKED FOR OUR ALT, INFORMED ME THAT THE CLRNC WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT, AND ISSUED A DSCNT TO 14000' MSL FOR US. I BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED: THE CTLR WAS WORKING 2 FREQS AND VERY BUSY. HE ACKNOWLEDGED MY CHK-IN AFTER 2 CALLS, ISSUED A DSCNT TO A COMPANY ON ANOTHER FREQ W/O INDICATING A BREAK IN THE XMISSION. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC, BUT RECEIVED NO CONFIRMATION FROM CENTER. I DIDN'T HEAR THE READBACK BY COMPANY AND HE DIDN'T HEAR MINE BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT FREQS. THE DSCNT CLRNC WAS EXPECTED AT ABOUT THAT TIME AS WE WERE NEARING OUR DEST. FORTUNATELY, NO CONFLICT DEVELOPED. SOLUTION: LISTEN UP AND SINGLE FREQ OPERATION.

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.

Controller working 2 sectors issued descent clearance to aircraft acknowledged by another and descent begun.