Narrative:

We were south of atl on downwind 12000' descending to 6000'. We were handed off to the second approach controller. Because of the radio congestion we were almost leveled off before I could check in (3-4 mins), but he didn't acknowledge us. He made 2 or 3 other calls to other aircraft, so I knew he was busy and would get to us in time. Finally he asked us, 'do you have the traffic Y at your 11 O'clock? You will be following him.' we responded we had the traffic. The traffic we had eventually passed our 9 O'clock. The captain waited another 30 seconds and started his turn to base for 27L. The controller was busy talking to other aircraft, so I couldn't get in with a call. (There also was another aircraft on the same frequency with a similar call sign.) we were passing 360 degrees when another aircraft Z asked approach if the aircraft they were supposed to follow was in a turn. He responded no, then asked us what our heading was. I told him and he told us to maintain 4000' and 360 degrees. The other aircraft Z was 3500' and 3 or more mi at our 3 O'clock at the time of the call to level off and continued straight ahead. He told us to expect 26L and gave us the frequency. He then stated to the aircraft Z that we must have taken another aircraft's turn by mistake. Right after that he cleared us for the visibility approach to 27L. I acknowledged 27L. Then I realized he must have meant 26L. I asked the captain what he heard. He asked me to verify. By the time I could ask we were past our turn, so he had us reenter north of the field for 26L. I feel what caused this problem was the controller was overloaded and asked us if we had traffic at 11 O'clock? We would be following him. When they tell us to follow traffic like that, it's really easy to mistake that clearance to do it and also easy to pick out the wrong aircraft like we did, or lose sight of it in the night lights.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ARRIVING ATL AT NIGHT IS CONFUSED BY SIMILAR CALL SIGNS ON FREQ AND MISIDENTIFICATION OF HIS ATC INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: WE WERE S OF ATL ON DOWNWIND 12000' DSNDING TO 6000'. WE WERE HANDED OFF TO THE SECOND APCH CTLR. BECAUSE OF THE RADIO CONGESTION WE WERE ALMOST LEVELED OFF BEFORE I COULD CHK IN (3-4 MINS), BUT HE DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE US. HE MADE 2 OR 3 OTHER CALLS TO OTHER ACFT, SO I KNEW HE WAS BUSY AND WOULD GET TO US IN TIME. FINALLY HE ASKED US, 'DO YOU HAVE THE TFC Y AT YOUR 11 O'CLOCK? YOU WILL BE FOLLOWING HIM.' WE RESPONDED WE HAD THE TFC. THE TFC WE HAD EVENTUALLY PASSED OUR 9 O'CLOCK. THE CAPT WAITED ANOTHER 30 SECS AND STARTED HIS TURN TO BASE FOR 27L. THE CTLR WAS BUSY TALKING TO OTHER ACFT, SO I COULDN'T GET IN WITH A CALL. (THERE ALSO WAS ANOTHER ACFT ON THE SAME FREQ WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN.) WE WERE PASSING 360 DEGS WHEN ANOTHER ACFT Z ASKED APCH IF THE ACFT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW WAS IN A TURN. HE RESPONDED NO, THEN ASKED US WHAT OUR HDG WAS. I TOLD HIM AND HE TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 4000' AND 360 DEGS. THE OTHER ACFT Z WAS 3500' AND 3 OR MORE MI AT OUR 3 O'CLOCK AT THE TIME OF THE CALL TO LEVEL OFF AND CONTINUED STRAIGHT AHEAD. HE TOLD US TO EXPECT 26L AND GAVE US THE FREQ. HE THEN STATED TO THE ACFT Z THAT WE MUST HAVE TAKEN ANOTHER ACFT'S TURN BY MISTAKE. RIGHT AFTER THAT HE CLRED US FOR THE VIS APCH TO 27L. I ACKNOWLEDGED 27L. THEN I REALIZED HE MUST HAVE MEANT 26L. I ASKED THE CAPT WHAT HE HEARD. HE ASKED ME TO VERIFY. BY THE TIME I COULD ASK WE WERE PAST OUR TURN, SO HE HAD US REENTER N OF THE FIELD FOR 26L. I FEEL WHAT CAUSED THIS PROB WAS THE CTLR WAS OVERLOADED AND ASKED US IF WE HAD TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK? WE WOULD BE FOLLOWING HIM. WHEN THEY TELL US TO FOLLOW TFC LIKE THAT, IT'S REALLY EASY TO MISTAKE THAT CLRNC TO DO IT AND ALSO EASY TO PICK OUT THE WRONG ACFT LIKE WE DID, OR LOSE SIGHT OF IT IN THE NIGHT LIGHTS.

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.