A cpr small transport was faced with a similar callsign. ATC was no help.

Attributes
ACN	246454
Time
Date	199307
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ict
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 26000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zks
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 9400 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	246454
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On jul/thu/93 approximately XA30, captain Z and myself performed a flight from greenville, tx, to wichita, ks. After receiving our clearance, we departed gvt and followed our clearance instruction. Our registration number was nx and from the time we checked in with ZFW they kept calling us ny. We assumed that it was a number mistake on their part and kept advising them of our correct call sign of small transport X nx. We continued our flight to wichita at FL260 and approximately half way to wichita were switched to ZKC. We checked in again and the confusion of call signs continued. Small transport X, ny, and advising them that we were small transport X, nx. Approximately 70 NM from wichita we requested descent. They cleared us, small transport X ny, to FL240. They kept us at FL240 until approximately 40 NM from wichita. We again requested descent and they replied small transport X ny descend to FL230 and, at the same time, gave us a new ZKC frequency. We acknowledged small transport X nx descend to FL230 and the new ZKC frequency and ZKC never corrected our last transmission. We checked in with ZKC on the new frequency advising them that we were at FL230 and at that time we heard an small transport ny inbound to wichita. ZKC advised us that we were at the wrong altitude and on the wrong frequency. ZKC never advised us that there was another aircraft inbound to wichita with an almost identical callsign. We finally were given another frequency for ZKC and recovered at wichita. Also, when ZKC stated we were at the wrong altitude, they never corrected us or informed us at what altitude we were supposed to be. I believe we were at the proper altitude but, the wrong sector did not know of our position and our instructed altitude from the previous center. All the confusion could have been prevented had center advised us of the other very similar callsign inbound to wichita at the very same time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR SMT WAS FACED WITH A SIMILAR CALLSIGN. ATC WAS NO HELP.

Narrative: ON JUL/THU/93 APPROX XA30, CAPT Z AND MYSELF PERFORMED A FLT FROM GREENVILLE, TX, TO WICHITA, KS. AFTER RECEIVING OUR CLRNC, WE DEPARTED GVT AND FOLLOWED OUR CLRNC INSTRUCTION. OUR REGISTRATION NUMBER WAS NX AND FROM THE TIME WE CHKED IN WITH ZFW THEY KEPT CALLING US NY. WE ASSUMED THAT IT WAS A NUMBER MISTAKE ON THEIR PART AND KEPT ADVISING THEM OF OUR CORRECT CALL SIGN OF SMT X NX. WE CONTINUED OUR FLT TO WICHITA AT FL260 AND APPROX HALF WAY TO WICHITA WERE SWITCHED TO ZKC. WE CHKED IN AGAIN AND THE CONFUSION OF CALL SIGNS CONTINUED. SMT X, NY, AND ADVISING THEM THAT WE WERE SMT X, NX. APPROXIMATELY 70 NM FROM WICHITA WE REQUESTED DSCNT. THEY CLRED US, SMT X NY, TO FL240. THEY KEPT US AT FL240 UNTIL APPROX 40 NM FROM WICHITA. WE AGAIN REQUESTED DSCNT AND THEY REPLIED SMT X NY DSND TO FL230 AND, AT THE SAME TIME, GAVE US A NEW ZKC FREQ. WE ACKNOWLEDGED SMT X NX DSND TO FL230 AND THE NEW ZKC FREQ AND ZKC NEVER CORRECTED OUR LAST XMISSION. WE CHKED IN WITH ZKC ON THE NEW FREQ ADVISING THEM THAT WE WERE AT FL230 AND AT THAT TIME WE HEARD AN SMT NY INBOUND TO WICHITA. ZKC ADVISED US THAT WE WERE AT THE WRONG ALT AND ON THE WRONG FREQ. ZKC NEVER ADVISED US THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT INBOUND TO WICHITA WITH AN ALMOST IDENTICAL CALLSIGN. WE FINALLY WERE GIVEN ANOTHER FREQ FOR ZKC AND RECOVERED AT WICHITA. ALSO, WHEN ZKC STATED WE WERE AT THE WRONG ALT, THEY NEVER CORRECTED US OR INFORMED US AT WHAT ALT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE. I BELIEVE WE WERE AT THE PROPER ALT BUT, THE WRONG SECTOR DID NOT KNOW OF OUR POS AND OUR INSTRUCTED ALT FROM THE PREVIOUS CTR. ALL THE CONFUSION COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED HAD CTR ADVISED US OF THE OTHER VERY SIMILAR CALLSIGN INBOUND TO WICHITA AT THE VERY SAME TIME.

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.