Narrative:

I was the captain from lga nonstop to mvy. Our last assigned clearance was fly direct to mvy and maintain 5000'. I was the PNF. Approximately 20 mi from mvy I told the copilot to guard communication #1 (ATC frequency) as I needed to contact our operations in mvy on communication #2 to ask several questions concerning passenger load, fuel, etc. At about halfway through my conversation with company the copilot started a descent and turned to a heading of 180 degrees (last heading was 070 degrees). I finished my communications with company and asked the copilot about our new clearance. He stated we were cleared to 2000' and to fly a 180 degree heading. At approximately 3700' MSL the approach controller said verify level at 5000'. I then stated I thought we were cleared to 2000'. The controller then said maintain 3000'. About 15 seconds later the controller said verify heading. I said 180 degrees assigned. The controller said 'you took the clearance for another flight, yours was turn right 10 degrees, maintain 5000'.' this of course happened while I was off frequency, and the copilot was working the radio. We had no conflict with any other aircraft that I know about. We were then cleared direct to the airport and completed a normal approach and landing. I'm still debating how to avoid this situation in the future. It is my opinion that a pilot should not try to monitor 2 communication radios at the same time. Perhaps I will reverify the clearance with controller before allowing the aircraft to turn or descend. Human performance considerations: the controller should have stopped us when the copilot read back the wrong clearance. Copilot was experienced and I tended to trust him. First time I had flown with this copilot. I was new in this aircraft. Air carrier X is merging with air carrier Y. I am acx crew. Copilot was air carrier Y. I did not want to offend him by reverifying our clearance. Tension between the 2 pilot groups is very high due to ongoing litigation in court over seniority matters.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER SMT CLRNC RESPONSE TO WRONG CALL SIGN CAUSES HEADING DEVIATION AND EXCURSION FROM CLRNC ALT.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT FROM LGA NONSTOP TO MVY. OUR LAST ASSIGNED CLRNC WAS FLY DIRECT TO MVY AND MAINTAIN 5000'. I WAS THE PNF. APPROX 20 MI FROM MVY I TOLD THE COPLT TO GUARD COM #1 (ATC FREQ) AS I NEEDED TO CONTACT OUR OPS IN MVY ON COM #2 TO ASK SEVERAL QUESTIONS CONCERNING PAX LOAD, FUEL, ETC. AT ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH MY CONVERSATION WITH COMPANY THE COPLT STARTED A DSCNT AND TURNED TO A HDG OF 180 DEGS (LAST HDG WAS 070 DEGS). I FINISHED MY COMS WITH COMPANY AND ASKED THE COPLT ABOUT OUR NEW CLRNC. HE STATED WE WERE CLRED TO 2000' AND TO FLY A 180 DEG HDG. AT APPROX 3700' MSL THE APCH CTLR SAID VERIFY LEVEL AT 5000'. I THEN STATED I THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED TO 2000'. THE CTLR THEN SAID MAINTAIN 3000'. ABOUT 15 SECS LATER THE CTLR SAID VERIFY HDG. I SAID 180 DEGS ASSIGNED. THE CTLR SAID 'YOU TOOK THE CLRNC FOR ANOTHER FLT, YOURS WAS TURN RIGHT 10 DEGS, MAINTAIN 5000'.' THIS OF COURSE HAPPENED WHILE I WAS OFF FREQ, AND THE COPLT WAS WORKING THE RADIO. WE HAD NO CONFLICT WITH ANY OTHER ACFT THAT I KNOW ABOUT. WE WERE THEN CLRED DIRECT TO THE ARPT AND COMPLETED A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG. I'M STILL DEBATING HOW TO AVOID THIS SITUATION IN THE FUTURE. IT IS MY OPINION THAT A PLT SHOULD NOT TRY TO MONITOR 2 COM RADIOS AT THE SAME TIME. PERHAPS I WILL REVERIFY THE CLRNC WITH CTLR BEFORE ALLOWING THE ACFT TO TURN OR DSND. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE STOPPED US WHEN THE COPLT READ BACK THE WRONG CLRNC. COPLT WAS EXPERIENCED AND I TENDED TO TRUST HIM. FIRST TIME I HAD FLOWN WITH THIS COPLT. I WAS NEW IN THIS ACFT. ACR X IS MERGING WITH ACR Y. I AM ACX CREW. COPLT WAS ACR Y. I DID NOT WANT TO OFFEND HIM BY REVERIFYING OUR CLRNC. TENSION BTWN THE 2 PLT GROUPS IS VERY HIGH DUE TO ONGOING LITIGATION IN COURT OVER SENIORITY MATTERS.

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.