<< >> NASA ASRS Report 535345, January 2002

A B727 cargo flight crew accepts a clearance meant for another flight but controller had used their call sign in a communication mix up by approach at mke, wi.

Attributes
ACN	535345
Time
Date	200201
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : jvl.ndb
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl single value : 8300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mke.tracon tower : teb.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other ndb
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mke.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 6100 flight time type : 115
ASRS Report	535345
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	534832
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Cleared to descend to 4000 ft. Passing 8000 ft, controller cleared us to 8000 ft. We queried assigned altitude and a discussion ensued whether controller had confused our call sign with another company flight. Traffic could have been an issue had situation continued and we descended to 4000 ft (which we understood to be our cleared altitude). As it was, there was no conflict, just a misunderstanding of either call signs or clearance. Supplemental information from acn 534832: they said they mixed up our call sign with another.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 CARGO FLC ACCEPTS A CLRNC MEANT FOR ANOTHER FLT BUT CTLR HAD USED THEIR CALL SIGN IN A COM MIX UP BY APCH AT MKE, WI.

Narrative: CLRED TO DSND TO 4000 FT. PASSING 8000 FT, CTLR CLRED US TO 8000 FT. WE QUERIED ASSIGNED ALT AND A DISCUSSION ENSUED WHETHER CTLR HAD CONFUSED OUR CALL SIGN WITH ANOTHER COMPANY FLT. TFC COULD HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE HAD SIT CONTINUED AND WE DSNDED TO 4000 FT (WHICH WE UNDERSTOOD TO BE OUR CLRED ALT). AS IT WAS, THERE WAS NO CONFLICT, JUST A MISUNDERSTANDING OF EITHER CALL SIGNS OR CLRNC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 534832: THEY SAID THEY MIXED UP OUR CALL SIGN WITH ANOTHER.

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.