An air carrier large transport flight crew were cleared to descend to FL270 then told to level at FL280 and then later told to return to FL290. The reporter speculates that the controller used the wrong call sign or they responded to the wrong call sign.

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Attributes
ACN	377390
Time
Date	199708
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cxr
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob tower : atw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zob
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	377390
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

In cruise at FL290 were given a descent clearance to FL270 for traffic. Read back and began descent. At FL280, controller asked our altitude and told us to maintain FL280. We said we had been cleared to FL270. Controller gave us climb back to FL290 with no explanation. No traffic conflict was observed and we did not ask for an explanation since controller did not seem concerned. The clearance, though early, seemed reasonable, so we had no thought of a problem. Our best guess is that with all our similar call signs, and after a long day of bad WX, either we or the controller gave or accepted the wrong clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT FLC WERE CLRED TO DSND TO FL270 THEN TOLD TO LEVEL AT FL280 AND THEN LATER TOLD TO RETURN TO FL290. THE RPTR SPECULATES THAT THE CTLR USED THE WRONG CALL SIGN OR THEY RESPONDED TO THE WRONG CALL SIGN.

Narrative: IN CRUISE AT FL290 WERE GIVEN A DSCNT CLRNC TO FL270 FOR TFC. READ BACK AND BEGAN DSCNT. AT FL280, CTLR ASKED OUR ALT AND TOLD US TO MAINTAIN FL280. WE SAID WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO FL270. CTLR GAVE US CLB BACK TO FL290 WITH NO EXPLANATION. NO TFC CONFLICT WAS OBSERVED AND WE DID NOT ASK FOR AN EXPLANATION SINCE CTLR DID NOT SEEM CONCERNED. THE CLRNC, THOUGH EARLY, SEEMED REASONABLE, SO WE HAD NO THOUGHT OF A PROB. OUR BEST GUESS IS THAT WITH ALL OUR SIMILAR CALL SIGNS, AND AFTER A LONG DAY OF BAD WX, EITHER WE OR THE CTLR GAVE OR ACCEPTED THE WRONG CLRNC.

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.