Narrative:

Cleared 360 degrees, approaching inbound course for runway 9R at atl. Approach cleared us to turn to final, but flight XXX answered our call. Atl did not apparently catch the mistake very quickly. We were still heading toward the opposite side of the airport when I said to turn back and called atl to tell them of the apparent error. They said turn 120 degrees, and intercept inbound runway 9R. Listen for correct call sign. Supplemental information from acn 303954: flight crew was advised to expect a visual approach. Approaching course centerline approach issued a turn towards final and visual approach clearance. Company flight XXX acknowledged clearance with readback. Approach control was advised that company XXXX suspected company XXX copied and read back an approach clearance in error. During visual conditions approach controllers handle extensive amounts of traffic since separation requirements are reduced. The result is more concentrated radio traffic with reduced time to question or catch inaccurate instructions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC RECEIVED A VECTOR AND 'EXPECT VISUAL' CLRNC. WHEN EXPECTED 'VISUAL' CLRNC WAS ISSUED, A COMPANY ACFT WITH SIMILAR SOUNDING A/N PICKED UP THE CLRNC. FINAL APCH COURSE WAS OVERSHOT AND CORRECTED BY FLC ON VECTOR.

Narrative: CLRED 360 DEGS, APCHING INBOUND COURSE FOR RWY 9R AT ATL. APCH CLRED US TO TURN TO FINAL, BUT FLT XXX ANSWERED OUR CALL. ATL DID NOT APPARENTLY CATCH THE MISTAKE VERY QUICKLY. WE WERE STILL HDG TOWARD THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ARPT WHEN I SAID TO TURN BACK AND CALLED ATL TO TELL THEM OF THE APPARENT ERROR. THEY SAID TURN 120 DEGS, AND INTERCEPT INBOUND RWY 9R. LISTEN FOR CORRECT CALL SIGN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 303954: FLC WAS ADVISED TO EXPECT A VISUAL APCH. APCHING COURSE CTRLINE APCH ISSUED A TURN TOWARDS FINAL AND VISUAL APCH CLRNC. COMPANY FLT XXX ACKNOWLEDGED CLRNC WITH READBACK. APCH CTL WAS ADVISED THAT COMPANY XXXX SUSPECTED COMPANY XXX COPIED AND READ BACK AN APCH CLRNC IN ERROR. DURING VISUAL CONDITIONS APCH CTLRS HANDLE EXTENSIVE AMOUNTS OF TFC SINCE SEPARATION REQUIREMENTS ARE REDUCED. THE RESULT IS MORE CONCENTRATED RADIO TFC WITH REDUCED TIME TO QUESTION OR CATCH INACCURATE INSTRUCTIONS.

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.