An air carrier takes a clearance for a heading change meant for another aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	533846
Time
Date	200112
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : d10.tracon
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d10.tracon tower : dfw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : dallas.6
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	533846
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : wake turbulence non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Departed dfw from runway 17R behind another aircraft (maybe MD80 or F100) with usual 'normal' separation. I was hand flying the aircraft. During climb out on a 174 degree heading (the dallas 6 departure, I believe), we encountered wake turbulence from the preceding aircraft. The roll upset was only light or so, but enough that it had my full attention trying to escape and avoid it. It only lasted several seconds, but then we encountered some more. During the encounters, ATC issued a left turn to 055 degree heading. My first officer read back the clearance. There was no reply or correction from ATC, nor did I hear another aircraft reply. Since my full attention was on flying the aircraft out of the wake turbulence, I had to ask him 'what was the assigned heading?' he replied '055 degrees,' which rang a bell from what I heard in his readback to ATC. As we passed through a 090 degree heading, ATC said 'air carrier X, it appears you took a turn for another aircraft. Go back to your tower assigned heading.' I immediately rolled the aircraft back to the right. First officer said he heard our call sign (air carrier X) with the turn instructions. I only recalled his readback to the clearance. (I have been flying with first officer the entire month. He has displayed excellent and competent radio communication skills. Since I did not hear the whole ATC clearance, I asked him what it was. There was no reason to doubt what he heard, and replied to.) we did not argue with the controller. Prior to reaching the 174 degree heading, ATC turned us to maybe 080 degrees (I don't remember) and handed us off. During the turns there was no known traffic conflicts that we could see. (TCASII did not show any aircraft close by.) as far as we know, no other aircraft were turned because of us. Maybe I wanted to believe the turn was for us. We were encountering turbulence. It was the direction of our destination. Light traffic. Trust in an excellent first officer. Maybe the controller did say our call sign. I've heard them use wrong call signs too, but I don't recall the initial clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR TAKES A CLRNC FOR A HDG CHANGE MEANT FOR ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: DEPARTED DFW FROM RWY 17R BEHIND ANOTHER ACFT (MAYBE MD80 OR F100) WITH USUAL 'NORMAL' SEPARATION. I WAS HAND FLYING THE ACFT. DURING CLBOUT ON A 174 DEG HDG (THE DALLAS 6 DEP, I BELIEVE), WE ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURB FROM THE PRECEDING ACFT. THE ROLL UPSET WAS ONLY LIGHT OR SO, BUT ENOUGH THAT IT HAD MY FULL ATTN TRYING TO ESCAPE AND AVOID IT. IT ONLY LASTED SEVERAL SECONDS, BUT THEN WE ENCOUNTERED SOME MORE. DURING THE ENCOUNTERS, ATC ISSUED A L TURN TO 055 DEG HDG. MY FO READ BACK THE CLRNC. THERE WAS NO REPLY OR CORRECTION FROM ATC, NOR DID I HEAR ANOTHER ACFT REPLY. SINCE MY FULL ATTN WAS ON FLYING THE ACFT OUT OF THE WAKE TURB, I HAD TO ASK HIM 'WHAT WAS THE ASSIGNED HDG?' HE REPLIED '055 DEGS,' WHICH RANG A BELL FROM WHAT I HEARD IN HIS READBACK TO ATC. AS WE PASSED THROUGH A 090 DEG HDG, ATC SAID 'ACR X, IT APPEARS YOU TOOK A TURN FOR ANOTHER ACFT. GO BACK TO YOUR TWR ASSIGNED HDG.' I IMMEDIATELY ROLLED THE ACFT BACK TO THE R. FO SAID HE HEARD OUR CALL SIGN (ACR X) WITH THE TURN INSTRUCTIONS. I ONLY RECALLED HIS READBACK TO THE CLRNC. (I HAVE BEEN FLYING WITH FO THE ENTIRE MONTH. HE HAS DISPLAYED EXCELLENT AND COMPETENT RADIO COM SKILLS. SINCE I DID NOT HEAR THE WHOLE ATC CLRNC, I ASKED HIM WHAT IT WAS. THERE WAS NO REASON TO DOUBT WHAT HE HEARD, AND REPLIED TO.) WE DID NOT ARGUE WITH THE CTLR. PRIOR TO REACHING THE 174 DEG HDG, ATC TURNED US TO MAYBE 080 DEGS (I DON'T REMEMBER) AND HANDED US OFF. DURING THE TURNS THERE WAS NO KNOWN TFC CONFLICTS THAT WE COULD SEE. (TCASII DID NOT SHOW ANY ACFT CLOSE BY.) AS FAR AS WE KNOW, NO OTHER ACFT WERE TURNED BECAUSE OF US. MAYBE I WANTED TO BELIEVE THE TURN WAS FOR US. WE WERE ENCOUNTERING TURB. IT WAS THE DIRECTION OF OUR DEST. LIGHT TFC. TRUST IN AN EXCELLENT FO. MAYBE THE CTLR DID SAY OUR CALL SIGN. I'VE HEARD THEM USE WRONG CALL SIGNS TOO, BUT I DON'T RECALL THE INITIAL CLRNC.

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.