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MD88 crew receive and verify a clearance from ZME ARTCC to a fix they had passed some time back and a climb clearance.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 594224 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200309 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : mem.vortac |
| State Reference | TN |
| Altitude | msl single value : 33000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zme.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-88 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zme.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 350 |
| ASRS Report | 594224 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar/mode c other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
We were cruising at FL330 heading east towards rome VOR (rmg) from memphis on a flight plan that called for cruise at FL370. It was my leg. Our call sign was air carrier XXX. About 100 NM east of mem VOR, we got a clearance to climb to FL350 and proceed direct to razorback (rzc) VOR. The altitude made sense, but rzc was way behind us, so I asked my first officer to query the center. The controller reiterated, clearly and without hesitation, 'air carrier XXX, climb to FL350 and proceed direct to rzc.' I started the climb and asked the first officer to find out exactly what route center had in mind for us after rzc. I wondered if rmg was being confused with rzc, or if we were about to start another 9-11 scenario. Finally, the controller woke up and directed air carrier YYY to climb and proceed to rzc. The controller had transposed digits in our 2 call signs, as air carrier YYY was also on frequency. We advised the controller that, based on 2 of his communications, we had started a climb to FL350. He directed us back down to FL330 and cleared us direct to rmg VOR, our intended route. Fortunately, there was no nearby traffic.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MD88 CREW RECEIVE AND VERIFY A CLRNC FROM ZME ARTCC TO A FIX THEY HAD PASSED SOME TIME BACK AND A CLB CLRNC.
Narrative: WE WERE CRUISING AT FL330 HDG E TOWARDS ROME VOR (RMG) FROM MEMPHIS ON A FLT PLAN THAT CALLED FOR CRUISE AT FL370. IT WAS MY LEG. OUR CALL SIGN WAS ACR XXX. ABOUT 100 NM E OF MEM VOR, WE GOT A CLRNC TO CLB TO FL350 AND PROCEED DIRECT TO RAZORBACK (RZC) VOR. THE ALT MADE SENSE, BUT RZC WAS WAY BEHIND US, SO I ASKED MY FO TO QUERY THE CTR. THE CTLR REITERATED, CLRLY AND WITHOUT HESITATION, 'ACR XXX, CLB TO FL350 AND PROCEED DIRECT TO RZC.' I STARTED THE CLB AND ASKED THE FO TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT RTE CTR HAD IN MIND FOR US AFTER RZC. I WONDERED IF RMG WAS BEING CONFUSED WITH RZC, OR IF WE WERE ABOUT TO START ANOTHER 9-11 SCENARIO. FINALLY, THE CTLR WOKE UP AND DIRECTED ACR YYY TO CLB AND PROCEED TO RZC. THE CTLR HAD TRANSPOSED DIGITS IN OUR 2 CALL SIGNS, AS ACR YYY WAS ALSO ON FREQ. WE ADVISED THE CTLR THAT, BASED ON 2 OF HIS COMS, WE HAD STARTED A CLB TO FL350. HE DIRECTED US BACK DOWN TO FL330 AND CLRED US DIRECT TO RMG VOR, OUR INTENDED RTE. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO NEARBY TFC.
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.