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B737-800 pilots descend after accepting a clearance for another aircraft with similar flight numbers. No controller similar call sign caution was issued.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 640322 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200412 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sfo.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 8000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : nct.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-800 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : nct.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 640322 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 1500 |
| ASRS Report | 640853 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : separated traffic controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
At about XA00, on norcal approach, we were given a clearance to descend to 10000 ft. Passing through approximately 11300 ft, approach control cleared us to descend to 5000 ft and fly heading 270 degrees. The clearance was read back by the captain with no response from approach control. At about 8300 ft, we were told to stop at 8000 ft and maintain. We were then told by approach that we should have maintained 10000 ft, and we followed another aircraft's clearance. Our call sign that evening was 'air carrier X.' the other aircraft mentioned was an 'aircraft Y.' at no time on norcal approach were we warned that there was another aircraft with a very similar call sign on the approach controller's other frequency. At no time was there ever a traffic conflict.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737-800 PLTS DSND AFTER ACCEPTING A CLRNC FOR ANOTHER ACFT WITH SIMILAR FLT NUMBERS. NO CTLR SIMILAR CALL SIGN CAUTION WAS ISSUED.
Narrative: AT ABOUT XA00, ON NORCAL APCH, WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO DSND TO 10000 FT. PASSING THROUGH APPROX 11300 FT, APCH CTL CLRED US TO DSND TO 5000 FT AND FLY HDG 270 DEGS. THE CLRNC WAS READ BACK BY THE CAPT WITH NO RESPONSE FROM APCH CTL. AT ABOUT 8300 FT, WE WERE TOLD TO STOP AT 8000 FT AND MAINTAIN. WE WERE THEN TOLD BY APCH THAT WE SHOULD HAVE MAINTAINED 10000 FT, AND WE FOLLOWED ANOTHER ACFT'S CLRNC. OUR CALL SIGN THAT EVENING WAS 'ACR X.' THE OTHER ACFT MENTIONED WAS AN 'ACFT Y.' AT NO TIME ON NORCAL APCH WERE WE WARNED THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT WITH A VERY SIMILAR CALL SIGN ON THE APCH CTLR'S OTHER FREQ. AT NO TIME WAS THERE EVER A TFC CONFLICT.
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.