Narrative:

Our aircraft departed harlingen, tx, for houston intercontinental airport. Our aircraft was flying/arriving iah on the gland 7 arrival and just departed oxxen intersection on an ATC vector heading 090 degrees, speed 180 KTS, and level 6000 ft. We were on approach frequency. About 5 DME (iah) east, ATC commanded to descend and maintain 2000 ft. About 8 DME (iah) east, ATC commanded to maintain 4000 ft. About 10 DME (iah) east, the following occurred: ATC issued left turn 230 degrees. Our aircraft was descending through 5000 ft for 4000 ft. This was not a normal vector for this portion of the arrival. Our aircraft was 30 degree bank left turn for 230 degrees. ATC issued, right turn 90 degrees. While turning right, 30 degree bank, through heading 010 degrees, we received a TCASII TA. ATC issued traffic, 4 mi, same altitude. Almost simultaneously, we receive a TCASII RA to climb +1000 FPM. ATC issued climb and maintain 5000 ft, left turn 180 degrees, climb immediately. The aircraft causing the conflict was an MD80 on final approach (at 10 mi) for runway 27 iah. We received another confusing ATC command. ATC issued descend 2000 ft, speed 160 KTS, contact tower 135.15. This is not a normal clearance from our present position. A new ATC voice came on and commanded us to turn left 090 degrees. We were advised to contact approach control. The supervisor advised us the ATC controller had us confused with another aircraft. ATC admitted the error. I ask myself if I should have told the controller we were on a 090 degree heading, descending to 4000 ft, downwind for runway 27, when ATC told us to turn 230 degrees. A 230 degree heading is normal when an aircraft is over das VOR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATR42 FLC RECEIVED NUMEROUS VECTORS TO FINAL BY IAH TRACON. CTLR CONFUSED SIMILAR CALL SIGN AND CAUSED CONFLICTION WITH MD80. DISCUSSION WITH ATC SUPVR VERIFIED ATC ERROR.

Narrative: OUR ACFT DEPARTED HARLINGEN, TX, FOR HOUSTON INTERCONTINENTAL ARPT. OUR ACFT WAS FLYING/ARRIVING IAH ON THE GLAND 7 ARR AND JUST DEPARTED OXXEN INTXN ON AN ATC VECTOR HDG 090 DEGS, SPD 180 KTS, AND LEVEL 6000 FT. WE WERE ON APCH FREQ. ABOUT 5 DME (IAH) E, ATC COMMANDED TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 2000 FT. ABOUT 8 DME (IAH) E, ATC COMMANDED TO MAINTAIN 4000 FT. ABOUT 10 DME (IAH) E, THE FOLLOWING OCCURRED: ATC ISSUED L TURN 230 DEGS. OUR ACFT WAS DSNDING THROUGH 5000 FT FOR 4000 FT. THIS WAS NOT A NORMAL VECTOR FOR THIS PORTION OF THE ARR. OUR ACFT WAS 30 DEG BANK L TURN FOR 230 DEGS. ATC ISSUED, R TURN 90 DEGS. WHILE TURNING R, 30 DEG BANK, THROUGH HDG 010 DEGS, WE RECEIVED A TCASII TA. ATC ISSUED TFC, 4 MI, SAME ALT. ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY, WE RECEIVE A TCASII RA TO CLB +1000 FPM. ATC ISSUED CLB AND MAINTAIN 5000 FT, L TURN 180 DEGS, CLB IMMEDIATELY. THE ACFT CAUSING THE CONFLICT WAS AN MD80 ON FINAL APCH (AT 10 MI) FOR RWY 27 IAH. WE RECEIVED ANOTHER CONFUSING ATC COMMAND. ATC ISSUED DSND 2000 FT, SPD 160 KTS, CONTACT TWR 135.15. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL CLRNC FROM OUR PRESENT POS. A NEW ATC VOICE CAME ON AND COMMANDED US TO TURN L 090 DEGS. WE WERE ADVISED TO CONTACT APCH CTL. THE SUPVR ADVISED US THE ATC CTLR HAD US CONFUSED WITH ANOTHER ACFT. ATC ADMITTED THE ERROR. I ASK MYSELF IF I SHOULD HAVE TOLD THE CTLR WE WERE ON A 090 DEG HDG, DSNDING TO 4000 FT, DOWNWIND FOR RWY 27, WHEN ATC TOLD US TO TURN 230 DEGS. A 230 DEG HDG IS NORMAL WHEN AN ACFT IS OVER DAS VOR.

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.