Flight crew took a clearance for another aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	151958
Time
Date	199007
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mad
State Reference	CT
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw artcc : mjzs
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 9800
ASRS Report	151958
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On the 7/xx/90, about XX20 Z hours, while operating an large transport X, we received and complied with a clearance issued to us from ZBW on 134.0. We acknowledged that clearance as 'maintain present heading large transport X.' our previous clearance had been direct dpk with a dpk 2/bdl maintain 11000'. We were maintaining our present heading of 060 degrees. We passed the madison VOR on that heading. The controller, after we had passed mad, asked us our heading we replied, '060 degrees, large transport X.' the controller then said, 'negative, turn left to 330 degrees and intercept the 341 degree right of madison.' we questioned the controller and we were told that the present heading clearance was not for us. We then for the first time heard the controller issue a clearance to another flight large transport xx on the same frequency. The controller was talking so fast that we questioned him to be certain that the clearance was not for large transport X. At no time did the controller advise us that another large transport X was on the same frequency. The controller contributed a great deal to this misinterpreted clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW TOOK A CLRNC FOR ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: ON THE 7/XX/90, ABOUT XX20 Z HRS, WHILE OPERATING AN LGT X, WE RECEIVED AND COMPLIED WITH A CLRNC ISSUED TO US FROM ZBW ON 134.0. WE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT CLRNC AS 'MAINTAIN PRESENT HDG LGT X.' OUR PREVIOUS CLRNC HAD BEEN DIRECT DPK WITH A DPK 2/BDL MAINTAIN 11000'. WE WERE MAINTAINING OUR PRESENT HDG OF 060 DEGS. WE PASSED THE MADISON VOR ON THAT HDG. THE CTLR, AFTER WE HAD PASSED MAD, ASKED US OUR HDG WE REPLIED, '060 DEGS, LGT X.' THE CTLR THEN SAID, 'NEGATIVE, TURN LEFT TO 330 DEGS AND INTERCEPT THE 341 DEG R OF MADISON.' WE QUESTIONED THE CTLR AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THE PRESENT HDG CLRNC WAS NOT FOR US. WE THEN FOR THE FIRST TIME HEARD THE CTLR ISSUE A CLRNC TO ANOTHER FLT LGT XX ON THE SAME FREQ. THE CTLR WAS TALKING SO FAST THAT WE QUESTIONED HIM TO BE CERTAIN THAT THE CLRNC WAS NOT FOR LGT X. AT NO TIME DID THE CTLR ADVISE US THAT ANOTHER LGT X WAS ON THE SAME FREQ. THE CTLR CONTRIBUTED A GREAT DEAL TO THIS MISINTERPRETED CLRNC.

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.