Narrative:

En route from mvg to ewr we were approaching some WX over pvd and requested a 270 degree heading after waiting a few mins to make the request with ATC who was giving advisories about the WX to a saab 20 mi away. ATC suggested a 360 degree turn would work better for him and keep us clear of the WX. We asked if that heading would work with bos arrival traffic and the controller said it would and would keep us out of the WX. Shortly after turning to a 360 degree heading, ATC issued a TA and immediately gave us a turn to 270 degrees (tight turn immediately) and descent to 7000 ft. At the same time we received an RA on the TCASII to descend, which was followed by a monitor vertical speed, and then climb. We followed the RA and had stopped the descent at 7600 ft. The traffic was 12:30 - 1 O'clock and 2 mi and quickly passed. ATC then gave us a 360 degree heading again and said to climb to 8000 ft, that the descent had been for another aircraft. (Both the captain and myself were sure the descent was given to us with our call sign and at first at least was in agreement with the TCASII.) after the RA was cleared and we were on a 360 degree heading, the controller was very helpful in pointing out the WX and giving us PIREPS from other aircraft in the area. Contributing factors: ATC frequency was very congested with aircraft working around WX, with similar call signs. Workload of the controller, WX, thunderstorms, IMC, congested airspace, and no visual contact with the other aircraft (possibly 2 other aircraft).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OPERROR LTSS BTWN AT42 AND AN SF34 ON CONVERGING COURSE WX DEV. DSCNT CLRNC TAKEN BY AT42 INTENDED FOR THE SF34 BUT NOT ACKNOWLEDGED.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM MVG TO EWR WE WERE APCHING SOME WX OVER PVD AND REQUESTED A 270 DEG HDG AFTER WAITING A FEW MINS TO MAKE THE REQUEST WITH ATC WHO WAS GIVING ADVISORIES ABOUT THE WX TO A SAAB 20 MI AWAY. ATC SUGGESTED A 360 DEG TURN WOULD WORK BETTER FOR HIM AND KEEP US CLR OF THE WX. WE ASKED IF THAT HDG WOULD WORK WITH BOS ARR TFC AND THE CTLR SAID IT WOULD AND WOULD KEEP US OUT OF THE WX. SHORTLY AFTER TURNING TO A 360 DEG HDG, ATC ISSUED A TA AND IMMEDIATELY GAVE US A TURN TO 270 DEGS (TIGHT TURN IMMEDIATELY) AND DSCNT TO 7000 FT. AT THE SAME TIME WE RECEIVED AN RA ON THE TCASII TO DSND, WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY A MONITOR VERT SPD, AND THEN CLB. WE FOLLOWED THE RA AND HAD STOPPED THE DSCNT AT 7600 FT. THE TFC WAS 12:30 - 1 O'CLOCK AND 2 MI AND QUICKLY PASSED. ATC THEN GAVE US A 360 DEG HDG AGAIN AND SAID TO CLB TO 8000 FT, THAT THE DSCNT HAD BEEN FOR ANOTHER ACFT. (BOTH THE CAPT AND MYSELF WERE SURE THE DSCNT WAS GIVEN TO US WITH OUR CALL SIGN AND AT FIRST AT LEAST WAS IN AGREEMENT WITH THE TCASII.) AFTER THE RA WAS CLRED AND WE WERE ON A 360 DEG HDG, THE CTLR WAS VERY HELPFUL IN POINTING OUT THE WX AND GIVING US PIREPS FROM OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: ATC FREQ WAS VERY CONGESTED WITH ACFT WORKING AROUND WX, WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. WORKLOAD OF THE CTLR, WX, TSTMS, IMC, CONGESTED AIRSPACE, AND NO VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE OTHER ACFT (POSSIBLY 2 OTHER ACFT).

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.