Flight crew of an medium large transport responded to another aircraft's clearance and descended in accordance with that clearance. ATC intervened and stopped the descent. The flight crew returned the aircraft to the altitude actually assigned. ATC hearback problem.

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Attributes
ACN	372420
Time
Date	199706
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dqo
State Reference	DE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 19700 msl bound upper : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
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
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other 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 : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	372420
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Operational Deviation

Narrative:

We were given a clearance by ZDC. Descend to FL220 and cross somto at 13000 ft. We were at approximately 19700 ft when controller said to maintain FL200. We said we were in the descent for 13000 ft to cross somto at that altitude. Controller said that was not our clearance, it was to descend to and maintain FL200. We climbed back up to FL200. Controller remarked that the clearance to FL220 and somto at 13000 ft was for another aircraft. If I read back a clearance for another aircraft, the controller did not listen to my call sign on the readback. Also, I never acknowledged a clearance to FL200 which the controller said was our correct clearance. In any case, no conflict with traffic occurred.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG RESPONDED TO ANOTHER ACFT'S CLRNC AND DSNDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THAT CLRNC. ATC INTERVENED AND STOPPED THE DSCNT. THE FLC RETURNED THE ACFT TO THE ALT ACTUALLY ASSIGNED. ATC HEARBACK PROB.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC BY ZDC. DSND TO FL220 AND CROSS SOMTO AT 13000 FT. WE WERE AT APPROX 19700 FT WHEN CTLR SAID TO MAINTAIN FL200. WE SAID WE WERE IN THE DSCNT FOR 13000 FT TO CROSS SOMTO AT THAT ALT. CTLR SAID THAT WAS NOT OUR CLRNC, IT WAS TO DSND TO AND MAINTAIN FL200. WE CLBED BACK UP TO FL200. CTLR REMARKED THAT THE CLRNC TO FL220 AND SOMTO AT 13000 FT WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT. IF I READ BACK A CLRNC FOR ANOTHER ACFT, THE CTLR DID NOT LISTEN TO MY CALL SIGN ON THE READBACK. ALSO, I NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED A CLRNC TO FL200 WHICH THE CTLR SAID WAS OUR CORRECT CLRNC. IN ANY CASE, NO CONFLICT WITH TFC OCCURRED.

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.