<< >> NASA ASRS Report 296590, February 1995

A flight crew was confused by the inappropriate timing of a descent clearance. After querying ATC, and receiving an affirmative acknowledgment, the flight crew complied with the clearance that was meant for another aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	296590
Time
Date	199502
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 32400 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	296590
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were established in cruise at FL330 and were communicating with ZME. We heard a somewhat confusing clearance for company flight #XXX to descend at or below FL280 by XA50Z. The time at issuance was XA48Z. It was an unusual clearance under the circumstances so I responded by saying 'flight #XXX understand you want us to descend to FL280 and be there in 2 mins.' ATC responded, 'roger, descend to FL280 in 2 mins or less.' I then responded, 'company flight #XXX descending to FL280, and we will be there in 2 mins.' as we descended through 32400 ft ATC said, 'company flight #XXX say altitude.' I responded, 'I understood that we were cleared to FL280.' ATC said, 'no, maintain FL330 that clearance was for someone else.' I acknowledged and we climbed back to FL330.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FLC WAS CONFUSED BY THE INAPPROPRIATE TIMING OF A DSCNT CLRNC. AFTER QUERYING ATC, AND RECEIVING AN AFFIRMATIVE ACKNOWLEDGMENT, THE FLC COMPLIED WITH THE CLRNC THAT WAS MEANT FOR ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: WE WERE ESTABLISHED IN CRUISE AT FL330 AND WERE COMMUNICATING WITH ZME. WE HEARD A SOMEWHAT CONFUSING CLRNC FOR COMPANY FLT #XXX TO DSND AT OR BELOW FL280 BY XA50Z. THE TIME AT ISSUANCE WAS XA48Z. IT WAS AN UNUSUAL CLRNC UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES SO I RESPONDED BY SAYING 'FLT #XXX UNDERSTAND YOU WANT US TO DSND TO FL280 AND BE THERE IN 2 MINS.' ATC RESPONDED, 'ROGER, DSND TO FL280 IN 2 MINS OR LESS.' I THEN RESPONDED, 'COMPANY FLT #XXX DSNDING TO FL280, AND WE WILL BE THERE IN 2 MINS.' AS WE DSNDED THROUGH 32400 FT ATC SAID, 'COMPANY FLT #XXX SAY ALT.' I RESPONDED, 'I UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WERE CLRED TO FL280.' ATC SAID, 'NO, MAINTAIN FL330 THAT CLRNC WAS FOR SOMEONE ELSE.' I ACKNOWLEDGED AND WE CLBED BACK TO FL330.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.