Air carrier large transport altitude deviation excursion from clearance altitude in reply to wrong c...

Attributes
ACN	82727
Time
Date	198802
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : col airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 177 flight time total : 6200 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	82727
Person 2
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

We departed ewr, climbed into an overcast, flying the cranberry 3 departure. Departure control cleared us to 6000' on a heading to intercept the colts neck 350 degree right. We were given a new departure control frequency and reported in level at 6000'. The controller then cleared flight to 17000'. We began our climb to 17000' after reading back our clearance, 'company XXX climb to 17000'.' passing 7500' we heard the controller call out air carrier Y XXX turn to heading .' at that time we called to verify our climb clearance. The controller said the clearance was for air carrier Y XXX, not air carrier X XXX. We stopped our climb and descend to 7000' per the controller's instructions. The controller several times used just the flight number for clrncs as well as never advising us of another flight using the same numbers. Shortly after leveling off at 7000', we were given clearance to climb to 17000'. The problem arose by our accepting a clearance for flight XXX west/O verification that it was for air carrier X, flight XXX. To prevent a recurrence, the company name as well as flight number should always be used and no clearance should be accepted west/O it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT ALT DEVIATION EXCURSION FROM CLRNC ALT IN REPLY TO WRONG CALL SIGN.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED EWR, CLBED INTO AN OVCST, FLYING THE CRANBERRY 3 DEP. DEP CTL CLRED US TO 6000' ON A HDG TO INTERCEPT THE COLTS NECK 350 DEG R. WE WERE GIVEN A NEW DEP CTL FREQ AND RPTED IN LEVEL AT 6000'. THE CTLR THEN CLRED FLT TO 17000'. WE BEGAN OUR CLB TO 17000' AFTER READING BACK OUR CLRNC, 'COMPANY XXX CLB TO 17000'.' PASSING 7500' WE HEARD THE CTLR CALL OUT ACR Y XXX TURN TO HDG .' AT THAT TIME WE CALLED TO VERIFY OUR CLB CLRNC. THE CTLR SAID THE CLRNC WAS FOR ACR Y XXX, NOT ACR X XXX. WE STOPPED OUR CLB AND DSND TO 7000' PER THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS. THE CTLR SEVERAL TIMES USED JUST THE FLT NUMBER FOR CLRNCS AS WELL AS NEVER ADVISING US OF ANOTHER FLT USING THE SAME NUMBERS. SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING OFF AT 7000', WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO CLB TO 17000'. THE PROB AROSE BY OUR ACCEPTING A CLRNC FOR FLT XXX W/O VERIFICATION THAT IT WAS FOR ACR X, FLT XXX. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE, THE COMPANY NAME AS WELL AS FLT NUMBER SHOULD ALWAYS BE USED AND NO CLRNC SHOULD BE ACCEPTED W/O IT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.

Air carrier large transport altitude deviation excursion from clearance altitude in reply to wrong call sign.