A commuter flight crew inadvertently picked up a descent clearance that was issued to another aircraft. The controller was working 2 different frequencys, and the aircraft were also on 2 different frequencys, but were flying to the same destination.

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Attributes
ACN	330470
Time
Date	199603
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : btv
State Reference	VT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10800 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zbw
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 4300
ASRS Report	330470
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 5200 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	330468
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
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:

ZBW controller was working 2 frequencys. Controller issued 'descent from 12000 ft to 7000 ft, our discretion.' we read it back as such and began a descent. At 10800 ft the controller asked our altitude. We told him and he replied that he hadn't cleared us to 7000 ft, but another commuter had been cleared. The other commuter apparently was on another frequency of the controller's, and we both read back the clearance at the same time, but the controller never bothered to verify everything. The bottom line is ATC has to stop using split frequencys before we pilots lose our certificates for a controller error or even worse we get killed. Supplemental information from acn 330468: the clearance was determined to be for an SF34 going into btv on a different frequency, but same controller. Nothing to query -- that's our normal clearance at the position to that destination and we heard no one else on our frequencys from bos en route going to btv.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A COMMUTER FLC INADVERTENTLY PICKED UP A DSCNT CLRNC THAT WAS ISSUED TO ANOTHER ACFT. THE CTLR WAS WORKING 2 DIFFERENT FREQS, AND THE ACFT WERE ALSO ON 2 DIFFERENT FREQS, BUT WERE FLYING TO THE SAME DEST.

Narrative: ZBW CTLR WAS WORKING 2 FREQS. CTLR ISSUED 'DSCNT FROM 12000 FT TO 7000 FT, OUR DISCRETION.' WE READ IT BACK AS SUCH AND BEGAN A DSCNT. AT 10800 FT THE CTLR ASKED OUR ALT. WE TOLD HIM AND HE REPLIED THAT HE HADN'T CLRED US TO 7000 FT, BUT ANOTHER COMMUTER HAD BEEN CLRED. THE OTHER COMMUTER APPARENTLY WAS ON ANOTHER FREQ OF THE CTLR'S, AND WE BOTH READ BACK THE CLRNC AT THE SAME TIME, BUT THE CTLR NEVER BOTHERED TO VERIFY EVERYTHING. THE BOTTOM LINE IS ATC HAS TO STOP USING SPLIT FREQS BEFORE WE PLTS LOSE OUR CERTIFICATES FOR A CTLR ERROR OR EVEN WORSE WE GET KILLED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 330468: THE CLRNC WAS DETERMINED TO BE FOR AN SF34 GOING INTO BTV ON A DIFFERENT FREQ, BUT SAME CTLR. NOTHING TO QUERY -- THAT'S OUR NORMAL CLRNC AT THE POS TO THAT DEST AND WE HEARD NO ONE ELSE ON OUR FREQS FROM BOS ENRTE GOING TO BTV.

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.