<< >> NASA ASRS Report 426276, January 1999

Air carrier crew in vicinity of omn VOR inadvertently copied clearance for another company and started an unauthorized descent.

Attributes
ACN	426276
Time
Date	199901
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : omn
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pdk
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000
ASRS Report	426276
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were about 80 mi north of ormond beach on J79 when we were issued a clearance to cross laama at 12000 ft. As the PF, I dialed 12000 ft into the altitude alerter -- the captain confirmed it. A few mi later, I started the descent. At about FL240 the center asked us what our altitude was. We responded with our current altitude descending for laama at 12000 ft. The controller responded that the clearance we thought was for us was for another aircraft. A contributing factor to this incident, I believe, is our air carrier's use of similar call signs to identify our division. Each day we have 4 banks of aircraft heading to and from florida. All of these flts utilize the xx call signs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CREW IN VICINITY OF OMN VOR INADVERTENTLY COPIED CLRNC FOR ANOTHER COMPANY AND STARTED AN UNAUTH DSCNT.

Narrative: WE WERE ABOUT 80 MI N OF ORMOND BEACH ON J79 WHEN WE WERE ISSUED A CLRNC TO CROSS LAAMA AT 12000 FT. AS THE PF, I DIALED 12000 FT INTO THE ALT ALERTER -- THE CAPT CONFIRMED IT. A FEW MI LATER, I STARTED THE DSCNT. AT ABOUT FL240 THE CTR ASKED US WHAT OUR ALT WAS. WE RESPONDED WITH OUR CURRENT ALT DSNDING FOR LAAMA AT 12000 FT. THE CTLR RESPONDED THAT THE CLRNC WE THOUGHT WAS FOR US WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THIS INCIDENT, I BELIEVE, IS OUR ACR'S USE OF SIMILAR CALL SIGNS TO IDENT OUR DIVISION. EACH DAY WE HAVE 4 BANKS OF ACFT HDG TO AND FROM FLORIDA. ALL OF THESE FLTS UTILIZE THE XX CALL SIGNS.

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.