ACR LTT RESPONDED TO CLRNC FOR ANOTHER ACR WITH SAME FLT NUMBER AND DEVIATED FROM ASSIGNED ALT.
Synopsis
ACR LTT RESPONDED TO CLRNC FOR ANOTHER ACR WITH SAME FLT NUMBER AND DEVIATED FROM ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative
I WAS TALKING TO COMPANY ON THE #2 RADIO; GIVING OUR STANDARD IN RANGE CALL. WHEN I SWITCHED BACK TO #1 RADIO I ASKED THE COPLT IF THERE WERE ANY CHANGES. HE INFORMED ME WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 3000' WHICH HE SET IN THE ALT REMINDER. APPROX 1 MIN LATER APCH ASKED OUR ALT. I REPLIED; '3000' ASSIGNED.' HE INFORMED ME THAT THAT ALT WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT WITH THE SAME CALL NUMBERS; BUT A DIFFERENT COMPANY. THE CTLR APOLOGIZED SEVERAL TIMES FOR NOT INFORMING US THAT THE OTHER ACFT WAS ON THE FREQ. HE THEN TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 3000'; SINCE WE WERE NEEDED DOWN AT THAT ALT SHORTLY ANYWAY. WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INFORMED ABOUT THE OTHER ACFT BY THE CTLR. ALSO; IF 2 SIMILAR CALL SIGNS ARE ON THE SAME FREQ; THE CTLR MUST STATE THE COMPANY NAME MORE CLEARLY IF NOT TWICE. I ALSO FEEL THAT PLTS SHOULD LISTEN MORE CLOSELY AND SHOULD NOT ANTICIPATE CTLR'S CLRNCS. THIS WAY THEY WILL BE MORE INCLINED TO QUESTION A CALL SIGN NOT HEARD CLEARLY OVER THE RADIO. IT WOULD NOT BE ASSUMED IT WAS FOR THEM JUST BECAUSE IT SOUNDS CLOSE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 82522: CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED CONFUSION OVER FLT NUMBERS. AFTER THAT THE CTLR SAID THE NAME OF THE AIRLINE; THE FLT NUMBER AND AIRLINE NAME AGAIN WHENEVER TALKING TO US OR THE OTHER AIRLINE WITH THE SAME NUMBER. I SOMETIMES FIND THE BOS CTLRS A BIT MORE DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND THAN MOST OTHERS. SOME SEEM TO CUT OFF THE BEGINNINGS OF THEIR TRANSMISSIONS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.