When this air carrier flight crew requested a lower altitude due to turbulence, they thought that they received their response from the controller shortly thereafter. The readback was given and the aircraft started down only to find out that the clearance was for another aircraft, probably on another frequency.

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Attributes
ACN	339546
Time
Date	199606
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rmg
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme tracon : ind
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
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	339546
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	339990
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	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Scheduled flight elp to atl. After many WX deviations, we were heading direct rmg and the rmg arrival, at FL330. The ride became choppy and I asked the first officer to get FL290. At the same time we both heard our call sign, 'pilot's discretion to FL240.' the first officer read it back (call sign first) and I left FL330. Passing FL315 the center said 'say altitude' and I leveled off at FL314 and the first officer answered. Center said to descend to FL290. After level off at FL290, I asked if we had pilot's discretion to FL240. He said no and that we had answered a clearance for another aircraft. No TCASII conflict or one mentioned from ZME. We were given a frequency change to atl and we pressed on. Several things led to this: we wanted out of FL330, memphis controller didn't catch our readback error, and no other aircraft said anything on frequency that we could hear.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHEN THIS ACR FLC REQUESTED A LOWER ALT DUE TO TURB, THEY THOUGHT THAT THEY RECEIVED THEIR RESPONSE FROM THE CTLR SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE READBACK WAS GIVEN AND THE ACFT STARTED DOWN ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THE CLRNC WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT, PROBABLY ON ANOTHER FREQ.

Narrative: SCHEDULED FLT ELP TO ATL. AFTER MANY WX DEVS, WE WERE HEADING DIRECT RMG AND THE RMG ARR, AT FL330. THE RIDE BECAME CHOPPY AND I ASKED THE FO TO GET FL290. AT THE SAME TIME WE BOTH HEARD OUR CALL SIGN, 'PLT'S DISCRETION TO FL240.' THE FO READ IT BACK (CALL SIGN FIRST) AND I LEFT FL330. PASSING FL315 THE CTR SAID 'SAY ALT' AND I LEVELED OFF AT FL314 AND THE FO ANSWERED. CTR SAID TO DSND TO FL290. AFTER LEVEL OFF AT FL290, I ASKED IF WE HAD PLT'S DISCRETION TO FL240. HE SAID NO AND THAT WE HAD ANSWERED A CLRNC FOR ANOTHER ACFT. NO TCASII CONFLICT OR ONE MENTIONED FROM ZME. WE WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE TO ATL AND WE PRESSED ON. SEVERAL THINGS LED TO THIS: WE WANTED OUT OF FL330, MEMPHIS CTLR DIDN'T CATCH OUR READBACK ERROR, AND NO OTHER ACFT SAID ANYTHING ON FREQ THAT WE COULD HEAR.

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.