Similar call signs caused communication confusion for 2 air carrier flcs as well as ATC controller. In this incident the reporter flight crew answered a descent clearance for another aircraft, but ATC failed to note the error in call sign. Though the air carrier's were different, their numerical numbers started with the same first numbers and ended with the same number. Created communication difficulties throughout the descent and approach.

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Attributes
ACN	333730
Time
Date	199604
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18300 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	333730
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	333729
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were flight air carrier XX23 and were issued a clearance by ZDC to descend from FL190 to 16000 ft MSL. I read back this clearance in its entirety, including our call sign air carrier XX23. The first officer was flying and started to descend. At FL183 center asked us what our altitude was. I answered that we were at FL183 descending to 16000 ft as cleared, including full call sign. Center then told us to climb to FL190 which we did. The first officer and I had clearly understood our clearance down to 16000 ft. So I stated to ATC that we had read back our clearance to 16000 ft including our call sign air carrier XX23 and got an acknowledgement from ZDC. (There was an air carrier XX63 on frequency.) several times during descent and latter part of arrival into dca, center and approach called us air carrier XX63 instead of XX23, read back some of the xmissions intended for us. It took several xmissions as we were trying to clarify that we were XX23. Finally approach started to use our correct call sign and we complied with these directions. Several times XX63 would answer for XX23. Recommendations: 1) try to avoid similar call signs. 2) we know ATC is busy but have them listen up and acknowledge xmissions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SIMILAR CALL SIGNS CAUSED COM CONFUSION FOR 2 ACR FLCS AS WELL AS ATC CTLR. IN THIS INCIDENT THE RPTR FLC ANSWERED A DSCNT CLRNC FOR ANOTHER ACFT, BUT ATC FAILED TO NOTE THE ERROR IN CALL SIGN. THOUGH THE ACR'S WERE DIFFERENT, THEIR NUMERICAL NUMBERS STARTED WITH THE SAME FIRST NUMBERS AND ENDED WITH THE SAME NUMBER. CREATED COM DIFFICULTIES THROUGHOUT THE DSCNT AND APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE FLT ACR XX23 AND WERE ISSUED A CLRNC BY ZDC TO DSND FROM FL190 TO 16000 FT MSL. I READ BACK THIS CLRNC IN ITS ENTIRETY, INCLUDING OUR CALL SIGN ACR XX23. THE FO WAS FLYING AND STARTED TO DSND. AT FL183 CTR ASKED US WHAT OUR ALT WAS. I ANSWERED THAT WE WERE AT FL183 DSNDING TO 16000 FT AS CLRED, INCLUDING FULL CALL SIGN. CTR THEN TOLD US TO CLB TO FL190 WHICH WE DID. THE FO AND I HAD CLRLY UNDERSTOOD OUR CLRNC DOWN TO 16000 FT. SO I STATED TO ATC THAT WE HAD READ BACK OUR CLRNC TO 16000 FT INCLUDING OUR CALL SIGN ACR XX23 AND GOT AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM ZDC. (THERE WAS AN ACR XX63 ON FREQ.) SEVERAL TIMES DURING DSCNT AND LATTER PART OF ARR INTO DCA, CTR AND APCH CALLED US ACR XX63 INSTEAD OF XX23, READ BACK SOME OF THE XMISSIONS INTENDED FOR US. IT TOOK SEVERAL XMISSIONS AS WE WERE TRYING TO CLARIFY THAT WE WERE XX23. FINALLY APCH STARTED TO USE OUR CORRECT CALL SIGN AND WE COMPLIED WITH THESE DIRECTIONS. SEVERAL TIMES XX63 WOULD ANSWER FOR XX23. RECOMMENDATIONS: 1) TRY TO AVOID SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. 2) WE KNOW ATC IS BUSY BUT HAVE THEM LISTEN UP AND ACKNOWLEDGE XMISSIONS.

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.