Air carrier crew on ZJX frequency responds to a clearance for another company air carrier and starts...

Attributes
ACN	487570
Time
Date	200010
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mco.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 13500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 119
Navigation In Use	other
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 : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	487570
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our flight was air carrier abac en route mco direct pns. Ahead of us was air carrier acbc en route mco direct bhm. While at 12000 ft we responded to a vector and a climb to 16000 ft. Passing through 13500 ft ATC asked why we were not at 12000 ft. We told them we thought we were cleared for a climb and they informed us the climb was for air carrier acbc. We were told to level at 14000 ft. We thought we responded to a call for air carrier abac and we think we used our proper call sign. Interestingly, air carrier acbc did not make any call when we apparently responded to their call to climb. Problem: similar sounding call signs. Solutions: be more careful. Consider separating similar sounding call signs when there is the potential for error, ie, air carrier abac mco direct pns depart at FL810. Air carrier acbc mco direct bhm depart at FL810.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CREW ON ZJX FREQ RESPONDS TO A CLRNC FOR ANOTHER COMPANY ACR AND STARTS A CLB.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS ACR ABAC ENRTE MCO DIRECT PNS. AHEAD OF US WAS ACR ACBC ENRTE MCO DIRECT BHM. WHILE AT 12000 FT WE RESPONDED TO A VECTOR AND A CLB TO 16000 FT. PASSING THROUGH 13500 FT ATC ASKED WHY WE WERE NOT AT 12000 FT. WE TOLD THEM WE THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED FOR A CLB AND THEY INFORMED US THE CLB WAS FOR ACR ACBC. WE WERE TOLD TO LEVEL AT 14000 FT. WE THOUGHT WE RESPONDED TO A CALL FOR ACR ABAC AND WE THINK WE USED OUR PROPER CALL SIGN. INTERESTINGLY, ACR ACBC DID NOT MAKE ANY CALL WHEN WE APPARENTLY RESPONDED TO THEIR CALL TO CLB. PROB: SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS. SOLUTIONS: BE MORE CAREFUL. CONSIDER SEPARATING SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS WHEN THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR ERROR, IE, ACR ABAC MCO DIRECT PNS DEPART AT FL810. ACR ACBC MCO DIRECT BHM DEPART AT FL810.

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.

Air carrier crew on ZJX frequency responds to a clearance for another company air carrier and starts a climb.