A B737 flight crew is unsure over their last clearance when the same clearance is given to another company flight. While querying ATC they start a return to their previous altitude while 150 mi east of orl, fl.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	476420
Time
Date	200006
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : orl.vortac
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	476420
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In radio contact with ZMA. Straight and level at 23000 ft MSL on an assigned heading 060 degrees. A clearance was heard to climb to 29000 ft. Unsure of the call sign, first officer queries ZMA. ZMA responds that the clearance was for united states bdha, and also must turn to 030 degrees. The turn and climb are initiated. Next, there are some seemingly blocked radio xmissions, and ZMA makes a transmission to the effect, 'air carrier bdfa this clearance is for you, climb to 29000 ft and turn to 030 degrees. I have tried to call you 4 times.' due to the similar call signs and exact clearance to the other aircraft, flight bdha disengages autoplt, disconnects climb and turn, and returns to last assigned heading 060 degrees and altitude 23000 ft, now being unsure if we have acknowledged the appropriate clearance. After a few attempts to clarify, flight bdha is able to determine they had received the clearance to turn and climb. At this time, sure of the clearance instructions are complied with. Contributing factors: similar call signs: flts bdha, bdfa. Both aircraft on similar routing, same frequency, receive same clearance from ZMA within a very short period of time, in fact almost simultaneously.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 FLC IS UNSURE OVER THEIR LAST CLRNC WHEN THE SAME CLRNC IS GIVEN TO ANOTHER COMPANY FLT. WHILE QUERYING ATC THEY START A RETURN TO THEIR PREVIOUS ALT WHILE 150 MI E OF ORL, FL.

Narrative: IN RADIO CONTACT WITH ZMA. STRAIGHT AND LEVEL AT 23000 FT MSL ON AN ASSIGNED HEADING 060 DEGS. A CLRNC WAS HEARD TO CLB TO 29000 FT. UNSURE OF THE CALL SIGN, FO QUERIES ZMA. ZMA RESPONDS THAT THE CLRNC WAS FOR UNITED STATES BDHA, AND ALSO MUST TURN TO 030 DEGS. THE TURN AND CLB ARE INITIATED. NEXT, THERE ARE SOME SEEMINGLY BLOCKED RADIO XMISSIONS, AND ZMA MAKES A XMISSION TO THE EFFECT, 'ACR BDFA THIS CLRNC IS FOR YOU, CLB TO 29000 FT AND TURN TO 030 DEGS. I HAVE TRIED TO CALL YOU 4 TIMES.' DUE TO THE SIMILAR CALL SIGNS AND EXACT CLRNC TO THE OTHER ACFT, FLT BDHA DISENGAGES AUTOPLT, DISCONNECTS CLB AND TURN, AND RETURNS TO LAST ASSIGNED HEADING 060 DEGS AND ALT 23000 FT, NOW BEING UNSURE IF WE HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THE APPROPRIATE CLRNC. AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS TO CLARIFY, FLT BDHA IS ABLE TO DETERMINE THEY HAD RECEIVED THE CLRNC TO TURN AND CLB. AT THIS TIME, SURE OF THE CLRNC INSTRUCTIONS ARE COMPLIED WITH. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: SIMILAR CALL SIGNS: FLTS BDHA, BDFA. BOTH ACFT ON SIMILAR ROUTING, SAME FREQ, RECEIVE SAME CLRNC FROM ZMA WITHIN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, IN FACT ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY.

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.