A flight crew was confused by the inappropriate timing of a descent clearance. After querying ATC, and receiving an affirmative acknowledgment, the flight crew complied with the clearance that was meant for another aircraft.

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Attributes
ACN	296590
Time
Date	199502
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 32400 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	296590
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were established in cruise at FL330 and were communicating with ZME. We heard a somewhat confusing clearance for company flight #XXX to descend at or below FL280 by XA50Z. The time at issuance was XA48Z. It was an unusual clearance under the circumstances so I responded by saying 'flight #XXX understand you want us to descend to FL280 and be there in 2 mins.' ATC responded, 'roger, descend to FL280 in 2 mins or less.' I then responded, 'company flight #XXX descending to FL280, and we will be there in 2 mins.' as we descended through 32400 ft ATC said, 'company flight #XXX say altitude.' I responded, 'I understood that we were cleared to FL280.' ATC said, 'no, maintain FL330 that clearance was for someone else.' I acknowledged and we climbed back to FL330.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FLC WAS CONFUSED BY THE INAPPROPRIATE TIMING OF A DSCNT CLRNC. AFTER QUERYING ATC, AND RECEIVING AN AFFIRMATIVE ACKNOWLEDGMENT, THE FLC COMPLIED WITH THE CLRNC THAT WAS MEANT FOR ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: WE WERE ESTABLISHED IN CRUISE AT FL330 AND WERE COMMUNICATING WITH ZME. WE HEARD A SOMEWHAT CONFUSING CLRNC FOR COMPANY FLT #XXX TO DSND AT OR BELOW FL280 BY XA50Z. THE TIME AT ISSUANCE WAS XA48Z. IT WAS AN UNUSUAL CLRNC UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES SO I RESPONDED BY SAYING 'FLT #XXX UNDERSTAND YOU WANT US TO DSND TO FL280 AND BE THERE IN 2 MINS.' ATC RESPONDED, 'ROGER, DSND TO FL280 IN 2 MINS OR LESS.' I THEN RESPONDED, 'COMPANY FLT #XXX DSNDING TO FL280, AND WE WILL BE THERE IN 2 MINS.' AS WE DSNDED THROUGH 32400 FT ATC SAID, 'COMPANY FLT #XXX SAY ALT.' I RESPONDED, 'I UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WERE CLRED TO FL280.' ATC SAID, 'NO, MAINTAIN FL330 THAT CLRNC WAS FOR SOMEONE ELSE.' I ACKNOWLEDGED AND WE CLBED BACK TO FL330.

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.