Large transport aircraft being vectored for approach was given descent clearance, but after commencing the controller intervened and told them to maintain their altitude. Reporter first officer says controller confused their aircraft with another with similar call sign.

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Attributes
ACN	399450
Time
Date	199804
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : teb
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	399450
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 5200 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were being vectored for an ILS runway 22L at ewr on a clear VFR day. We were 10 mins northwest of teb VOR on a base leg before intercepting the ILS at 4000 ft. The controller cleared us down to 2500 ft and the captain read back 'out of 4000 ft for 2500 ft' and our callsign. We started our descent. When we passed through 3500 ft the controller asked what our altitude was and to climb back to 4000 ft. He had traffic which had departed teb which was at 3000 ft. We visually saw the traffic and picked the traffic up on TCASII. We did not get any warnings from the TCASII. We immediately climbed back up to 4000 ft and no further corrective action was needed. All 3 crew members confirmed that he cleared us to 2500 ft. We all are based in ewr and have flown out of ewr for many yrs. Some contributing factors are that the controller was very busy. A company aircraft with similar call sign was the aircraft behind us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT ACFT BEING VECTORED FOR APCH WAS GIVEN DSCNT CLRNC, BUT AFTER COMMENCING THE CTLR INTERVENED AND TOLD THEM TO MAINTAIN THEIR ALT. RPTR FO SAYS CTLR CONFUSED THEIR ACFT WITH ANOTHER WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGN.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR AN ILS RWY 22L AT EWR ON A CLR VFR DAY. WE WERE 10 MINS NW OF TEB VOR ON A BASE LEG BEFORE INTERCEPTING THE ILS AT 4000 FT. THE CTLR CLRED US DOWN TO 2500 FT AND THE CAPT READ BACK 'OUT OF 4000 FT FOR 2500 FT' AND OUR CALLSIGN. WE STARTED OUR DSCNT. WHEN WE PASSED THROUGH 3500 FT THE CTLR ASKED WHAT OUR ALT WAS AND TO CLB BACK TO 4000 FT. HE HAD TFC WHICH HAD DEPARTED TEB WHICH WAS AT 3000 FT. WE VISUALLY SAW THE TFC AND PICKED THE TFC UP ON TCASII. WE DID NOT GET ANY WARNINGS FROM THE TCASII. WE IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK UP TO 4000 FT AND NO FURTHER CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS NEEDED. ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS CONFIRMED THAT HE CLRED US TO 2500 FT. WE ALL ARE BASED IN EWR AND HAVE FLOWN OUT OF EWR FOR MANY YRS. SOME CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE THAT THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY. A COMPANY ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGN WAS THE ACFT BEHIND US.

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.