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A B727-200 crew starts a climb based upon their flight number being issued erroneously by ATC at ZME, tn.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 494970 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200012 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zme.artcc |
| State Reference | TN |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 16500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zme.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B727-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zme.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B727-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1100 |
| ASRS Report | 494970 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Company Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
B727 on ZZZ to mty flight. Departure from ZZZ. Intermediate leveloff at 16000 ft MSL. ZME instructed us to change to new center frequency. Changed to new frequency and checked in. New ZME controller responded 'flight xy, climb to and maintain FL330' (our scheduled en route altitude). We responded 'flight xy, climbing to FL330.' no reply from ZME. While passing 16300 ft MSL, ZME transmitted 'climb to FL330.' no response heard from as they were on another frequency. We realized that we had not been cleared to FL330 as originally thought. We stopped climb at 16500 ft MSL and began descent back to 16000 ft MSL. ZME then called us and said to remain at 16000 ft. Center then cleared us to climb and maintain FL230. This problem arose because 1) ZME was working more than 1 frequency, 2) similar call signs (flight yy and flight xy).
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B727-200 CREW STARTS A CLB BASED UPON THEIR FLT NUMBER BEING ISSUED ERRONEOUSLY BY ATC AT ZME, TN.
Narrative: B727 ON ZZZ TO MTY FLT. DEP FROM ZZZ. INTERMEDIATE LEVELOFF AT 16000 FT MSL. ZME INSTRUCTED US TO CHANGE TO NEW CTR FREQ. CHANGED TO NEW FREQ AND CHKED IN. NEW ZME CTLR RESPONDED 'FLT XY, CLB TO AND MAINTAIN FL330' (OUR SCHEDULED ENRTE ALT). WE RESPONDED 'FLT XY, CLBING TO FL330.' NO REPLY FROM ZME. WHILE PASSING 16300 FT MSL, ZME XMITTED 'CLB TO FL330.' NO RESPONSE HEARD FROM AS THEY WERE ON ANOTHER FREQ. WE REALIZED THAT WE HAD NOT BEEN CLRED TO FL330 AS ORIGINALLY THOUGHT. WE STOPPED CLB AT 16500 FT MSL AND BEGAN DSCNT BACK TO 16000 FT MSL. ZME THEN CALLED US AND SAID TO REMAIN AT 16000 FT. CTR THEN CLRED US TO CLB AND MAINTAIN FL230. THIS PROB AROSE BECAUSE 1) ZME WAS WORKING MORE THAN 1 FREQ, 2) SIMILAR CALL SIGNS (FLT YY AND FLT XY).
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.