All 3 crew persons of an air carrier large transport report that they were given, and read back, a descent to FL200. ZAB states that this was for another aircraft. WX factors thunderstorms, turbulence, ice.

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Attributes
ACN	345270
Time
Date	199608
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : inw
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 30300 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	345270
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	345276
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft heading into thunderstorm overhang/blowoff, made 2 radio xmissions to ZAB for lower (immediately). After second call, I heard the second half of a blocked transmission from center 'FL200.' I questioned controller to confirm altitude FL200. Both pilots heard our aircraft call sign cleared FL200 and we started down trying to get under overhang. At FL303, abq transmitted 'cleared FL310' and we questioned. Then aircraft was cleared FL290, controller said FL200 was for another aircraft and he repeated that 3 times. Both pilots never heard any of center's xmissions for the other aircraft. Supplemental information from acn 345276: airspace saturation near zun VORTAC on fossl STAR to phx, and controller overload which resulted from these deviations. The previous controller had cleared our flight to deviate to the southwest. When we were switched over, the new controller immediately questioned our heading and reclred us to proceed northwest to deviate. It appeared there was an ATC coordination problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALL 3 CREW PERSONS OF AN ACR LGT RPT THAT THEY WERE GIVEN, AND READ BACK, A DSCNT TO FL200. ZAB STATES THAT THIS WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT. WX FACTORS TSTMS, TURB, ICE.

Narrative: ACFT HEADING INTO TSTM OVERHANG/BLOWOFF, MADE 2 RADIO XMISSIONS TO ZAB FOR LOWER (IMMEDIATELY). AFTER SECOND CALL, I HEARD THE SECOND HALF OF A BLOCKED XMISSION FROM CTR 'FL200.' I QUESTIONED CTLR TO CONFIRM ALT FL200. BOTH PLTS HEARD OUR ACFT CALL SIGN CLRED FL200 AND WE STARTED DOWN TRYING TO GET UNDER OVERHANG. AT FL303, ABQ XMITTED 'CLRED FL310' AND WE QUESTIONED. THEN ACFT WAS CLRED FL290, CTLR SAID FL200 WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT AND HE REPEATED THAT 3 TIMES. BOTH PLTS NEVER HEARD ANY OF CTR'S XMISSIONS FOR THE OTHER ACFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 345276: AIRSPACE SATURATION NEAR ZUN VORTAC ON FOSSL STAR TO PHX, AND CTLR OVERLOAD WHICH RESULTED FROM THESE DEVS. THE PREVIOUS CTLR HAD CLRED OUR FLT TO DEVIATE TO THE SW. WHEN WE WERE SWITCHED OVER, THE NEW CTLR IMMEDIATELY QUESTIONED OUR HDG AND RECLRED US TO PROCEED NW TO DEVIATE. IT APPEARED THERE WAS AN ATC COORD PROB.

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.