Possible readback of clearance intended for another flight with similar call sign.

Attributes
ACN	128094
Time
Date	198911
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl tower : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	128094
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 960
ASRS Report	127886
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were on the sinca arrival into atl. It was during a rush hour and there were many aircraft on our frequency--3 or 4 with a # very similar to ours. A descent clearance was issued to what we thought was our flight #. We responded with a readback of the clearance and our flight #. The controller never challenged or questioned our readback of our flight #, so we could only assume we were correct. The WX was clear and we did not see any conflicting traffic, nor did the controller report any to us. The descent clearance issued that we answered for was in the area that the descent clearance is normally issued for this arrival. 3 things I think could help alleviate this recurring problem are: 1) continued emphasis on controller's listening to readbacks. 2) airlines avoiding similar flight #'south into the same area at the same time; eg, xx, xy, yx, etc. 3) on the controller's radar, in the future, program into the computer program colors for the aircraft identify tags; eg, white for level, yellow for descent of more than 800 FPM for 40 seconds, and green for climb of more than 600 FPM for 35 seconds.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POSSIBLE READBACK OF CLRNC INTENDED FOR ANOTHER FLT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGN.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE SINCA ARR INTO ATL. IT WAS DURING A RUSH HR AND THERE WERE MANY ACFT ON OUR FREQ--3 OR 4 WITH A # VERY SIMILAR TO OURS. A DSCNT CLRNC WAS ISSUED TO WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS OUR FLT #. WE RESPONDED WITH A READBACK OF THE CLRNC AND OUR FLT #. THE CTLR NEVER CHALLENGED OR QUESTIONED OUR READBACK OF OUR FLT #, SO WE COULD ONLY ASSUME WE WERE CORRECT. THE WX WAS CLEAR AND WE DID NOT SEE ANY CONFLICTING TFC, NOR DID THE CTLR RPT ANY TO US. THE DSCNT CLRNC ISSUED THAT WE ANSWERED FOR WAS IN THE AREA THAT THE DSCNT CLRNC IS NORMALLY ISSUED FOR THIS ARR. 3 THINGS I THINK COULD HELP ALLEVIATE THIS RECURRING PROB ARE: 1) CONTINUED EMPHASIS ON CTLR'S LISTENING TO READBACKS. 2) AIRLINES AVOIDING SIMILAR FLT #'S INTO THE SAME AREA AT THE SAME TIME; EG, XX, XY, YX, ETC. 3) ON THE CTLR'S RADAR, IN THE FUTURE, PROGRAM INTO THE COMPUTER PROGRAM COLORS FOR THE ACFT IDENT TAGS; EG, WHITE FOR LEVEL, YELLOW FOR DSCNT OF MORE THAN 800 FPM FOR 40 SECS, AND GREEN FOR CLB OF MORE THAN 600 FPM FOR 35 SECS.

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.