Potential conflict.

Attributes
ACN	227956
Time
Date	199212
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rst
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3700 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rst
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise 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 : 160 flight time total : 11000
ASRS Report	227956
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	227957
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Approach control mistakenly gave us, a clearance intended for another aircraft. We had just leveled off at 4000 ft when my first officer and I both heard the controller instruct us to 'descend to 2500 ft, turn left to 250 degrees, intercept the ILS 22, cleared for the approach.' we read back the clearance and commenced a descent and turn. We stopped the descent at 3700 ft. When the controller told us the clearance had not been for us, and that there was a commuter in the area at 3000 ft, we climbed back to 4000 ft immediately and were given a new heading. Since the controller would not admit he made a mistake, I called his supervisor, mr X, and asked him to play back the tape. Mr X played the tape and admitted that it was a controller error. Note: there seemed to be an unusually high number of aircraft on that approach control frequency with bad WX and very high winds. The controller was perhaps a bit overloaded.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT.

Narrative: APCH CTL MISTAKENLY GAVE US, A CLRNC INTENDED FOR ANOTHER ACFT. WE HAD JUST LEVELED OFF AT 4000 FT WHEN MY FO AND I BOTH HEARD THE CTLR INSTRUCT US TO 'DSND TO 2500 FT, TURN L TO 250 DEGS, INTERCEPT THE ILS 22, CLRED FOR THE APCH.' WE READ BACK THE CLRNC AND COMMENCED A DSCNT AND TURN. WE STOPPED THE DSCNT AT 3700 FT. WHEN THE CTLR TOLD US THE CLRNC HAD NOT BEEN FOR US, AND THAT THERE WAS A COMMUTER IN THE AREA AT 3000 FT, WE CLBED BACK TO 4000 FT IMMEDIATELY AND WERE GIVEN A NEW HDG. SINCE THE CTLR WOULD NOT ADMIT HE MADE A MISTAKE, I CALLED HIS SUPVR, MR X, AND ASKED HIM TO PLAY BACK THE TAPE. MR X PLAYED THE TAPE AND ADMITTED THAT IT WAS A CTLR ERROR. NOTE: THERE SEEMED TO BE AN UNUSUALLY HIGH NUMBER OF ACFT ON THAT APCH CTL FREQ WITH BAD WX AND VERY HIGH WINDS. THE CTLR WAS PERHAPS A BIT OVERLOADED.

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.