C340 responds to frequency change issued to another aircraft in ZHU airspace.

Attributes
ACN	417420
Time
Date	199810
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : new
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu tracon : msy
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 340/340A
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1900 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	417420
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was talking to ZHU and thought I had been 'handed off' to new orleans approach. I believe that I must have responded to someone else's handoff, because when I made my initial call-up, new orleans approach was clueless to the handoff. In retrospect, I didn't understand the controller and just responded with my tail number as usual. I really should have verified that the handoff was for me. It would've saved a lot of radio traffic with new orleans approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C340 RESPONDS TO FREQ CHANGE ISSUED TO ANOTHER ACFT IN ZHU AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS TALKING TO ZHU AND THOUGHT I HAD BEEN 'HANDED OFF' TO NEW ORLEANS APCH. I BELIEVE THAT I MUST HAVE RESPONDED TO SOMEONE ELSE'S HDOF, BECAUSE WHEN I MADE MY INITIAL CALL-UP, NEW ORLEANS APCH WAS CLUELESS TO THE HDOF. IN RETROSPECT, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE CTLR AND JUST RESPONDED WITH MY TAIL NUMBER AS USUAL. I REALLY SHOULD HAVE VERIFIED THAT THE HDOF WAS FOR ME. IT WOULD'VE SAVED A LOT OF RADIO TFC WITH NEW ORLEANS APCH.

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.