Air carrier arriving at cle has misunderstanding with approach controller about descent clearance.

Attributes
ACN	130244
Time
Date	198912
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cle
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5400 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cle
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	130244
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While working cle TRACON at 10,000' was cleared to 5000'. Clearance was read back and inserted into altitude alert. First officer was flying aircraft and captain was doing radio work. At approximately 5400' approach directed us to descend immediately to 4000. This was accomplished with no push over as aircraft was already in descent. At 4000, controller stated, 'you had been cleared to 7000' and that 5000 would put us in proximity to a departure at 5000. I stated the 5000 clearance and first officer corroborated same. Controller stated he was uncertain. Upon landing cle I called TRACON and discussed situation. Supervisor stated we had not come within 3 mi of departure aircraft. I asked for a review of the tapes to see what had happened. I called next day, numerous times, and was unable to reach anyone regarding tape. Crux of situation is that regardless of who may have erred, there was confusion on the radio due to a similar call sign on frequency. We should address this ongoing problem of same airline, similar flight numbers on frequency while departing and arriving at extremely congested airports at same times.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ARRIVING AT CLE HAS MISUNDERSTANDING WITH APCH CTLR ABOUT DESCENT CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING CLE TRACON AT 10,000' WAS CLRED TO 5000'. CLRNC WAS READ BACK AND INSERTED INTO ALT ALERT. F/O WAS FLYING ACFT AND CAPT WAS DOING RADIO WORK. AT APPROX 5400' APCH DIRECTED US TO DSND IMMEDIATELY TO 4000. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH NO PUSH OVER AS ACFT WAS ALREADY IN DSCNT. AT 4000, CTLR STATED, 'YOU HAD BEEN CLRED TO 7000' AND THAT 5000 WOULD PUT US IN PROX TO A DEP AT 5000. I STATED THE 5000 CLRNC AND F/O CORROBORATED SAME. CTLR STATED HE WAS UNCERTAIN. UPON LNDG CLE I CALLED TRACON AND DISCUSSED SITUATION. SUPVR STATED WE HAD NOT COME WITHIN 3 MI OF DEP ACFT. I ASKED FOR A REVIEW OF THE TAPES TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I CALLED NEXT DAY, NUMEROUS TIMES, AND WAS UNABLE TO REACH ANYONE REGARDING TAPE. CRUX OF SITUATION IS THAT REGARDLESS OF WHO MAY HAVE ERRED, THERE WAS CONFUSION ON THE RADIO DUE TO A SIMILAR CALL SIGN ON FREQ. WE SHOULD ADDRESS THIS ONGOING PROBLEM OF SAME AIRLINE, SIMILAR FLT NUMBERS ON FREQ WHILE DEPARTING AND ARRIVING AT EXTREMELY CONGESTED ARPTS AT SAME TIMES.

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.