An air carrier large transport flight crew received and read back a descent clearance, but as they descended the controller questioned them and declared that the clearance was for another air carrier. Later, a supervisor said that there were several acrs with similar call signs in the area, leading to confusion for the controller and the acrs. Apparently, no conflict.

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Attributes
ACN	385161
Time
Date	199711
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dqo
State Reference	DE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18500 msl bound upper : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5900 flight time type : 3700
ASRS Report	385161
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 159 flight time total : 18500 flight time type : 10800
ASRS Report	385340
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While at cruise at FL210 we received and acknowledged a descent to 11000 ft. When passing FL185 ZDC queried our altitude. We responded passing FL183 for 11000 ft. He said we were supposed to still be at FL210 and to stop our descent at FL180. He stated that the descent clearance was for another aircraft, even though we had clearly and distinctly read the clearance back after it was assigned. The flight continued to lga with no further incident. When on the ground the captain called and spoke to the ATC supervisor who stated there were 3 aircraft with similar call signs that led to the confusion for the controller and the air crew and that no further action was being pursued. Supplemental information from acn 385340: center had 3 flts with call signs that were similar.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT FLC RECEIVED AND READ BACK A DSCNT CLRNC, BUT AS THEY DSNDED THE CTLR QUESTIONED THEM AND DECLARED THAT THE CLRNC WAS FOR ANOTHER ACR. LATER, A SUPVR SAID THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL ACRS WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS IN THE AREA, LEADING TO CONFUSION FOR THE CTLR AND THE ACRS. APPARENTLY, NO CONFLICT.

Narrative: WHILE AT CRUISE AT FL210 WE RECEIVED AND ACKNOWLEDGED A DSCNT TO 11000 FT. WHEN PASSING FL185 ZDC QUERIED OUR ALT. WE RESPONDED PASSING FL183 FOR 11000 FT. HE SAID WE WERE SUPPOSED TO STILL BE AT FL210 AND TO STOP OUR DSCNT AT FL180. HE STATED THAT THE DSCNT CLRNC WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD CLRLY AND DISTINCTLY READ THE CLRNC BACK AFTER IT WAS ASSIGNED. THE FLT CONTINUED TO LGA WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. WHEN ON THE GND THE CAPT CALLED AND SPOKE TO THE ATC SUPVR WHO STATED THERE WERE 3 ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS THAT LED TO THE CONFUSION FOR THE CTLR AND THE AIR CREW AND THAT NO FURTHER ACTION WAS BEING PURSUED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 385340: CTR HAD 3 FLTS WITH CALL SIGNS THAT WERE SIMILAR.

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.