Similar sounding a/north sponsors an altitude deviation altitude excursion for an A320 flight crew.

Attributes
ACN	344590
Time
Date	199608
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pxr
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 18600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zab
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	344590
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
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:

We were climbing east on the st john departure to columbus. After passing through 11000 ft MSL I told the captain I was going to company radio to call in departure time. After checking back with the captain that I was back with him on ATC radio, he picked up the microphone and answered ZAB to climb to FL290. I did not hear the clearance as I was just checking back on ATC radio from company radio. At FL186 ZAB said flight hbe say altitude. I responded and she said level off at FL190 the clearance for FL290 was for flight dfe. The captain responded he heard flight hbe, and that was all of the conversation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SIMILAR SOUNDING A/N SPONSORS AN ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION FOR AN A320 FLC.

Narrative: WE WERE CLBING E ON THE ST JOHN DEP TO COLUMBUS. AFTER PASSING THROUGH 11000 FT MSL I TOLD THE CAPT I WAS GOING TO COMPANY RADIO TO CALL IN DEP TIME. AFTER CHKING BACK WITH THE CAPT THAT I WAS BACK WITH HIM ON ATC RADIO, HE PICKED UP THE MIKE AND ANSWERED ZAB TO CLB TO FL290. I DID NOT HEAR THE CLRNC AS I WAS JUST CHKING BACK ON ATC RADIO FROM COMPANY RADIO. AT FL186 ZAB SAID FLT HBE SAY ALT. I RESPONDED AND SHE SAID LEVEL OFF AT FL190 THE CLRNC FOR FL290 WAS FOR FLT DFE. THE CAPT RESPONDED HE HEARD FLT HBE, AND THAT WAS ALL OF THE CONVERSATION.

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.