Air carrier B757 flight crew began to execute descent on a STAR when first officer asks ARTCC controller for clarification. Controller advises clearance for another aircraft, with similar sounding call sign. Aircraft climbs back to assigned altitude with no reported conflict.

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Attributes
ACN	408720
Time
Date	199807
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bld
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 32500 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	408720
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on a flight from sea to phx. While on center, air carrier #2 and air carrier #3 also checked in for the karlo 6 STAR into phx. Just about 10 mins before I thought we would be starting our descent, I left the cockpit to use the lav. As I came back into the cockpit, the captain was putting in an altitude of FL290. As I put my headset on and we started down, I heard the controller ask air carrier #2 did you get your clearance to FL290. I wasn't convinced the clearance was for us, so we verified it. The controller told us the clearance was for air carrier #2, who had not heard the clearance. By this time, we had descended to FL325 and climbed up to FL330. There were no conflicts with any traffic. Our company has been told numerous times about the problems of scheduling similar sounding call signs for arrs at the same time. Also contributing was the fact that only one pilot heard the clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR B757 FLC BEGAN TO EXECUTE DSCNT ON A STAR WHEN FO ASKS ARTCC CTLR FOR CLARIFICATION. CTLR ADVISES CLRNC FOR ANOTHER ACFT, WITH SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN. ACFT CLBS BACK TO ASSIGNED ALT WITH NO RPTED CONFLICT.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A FLT FROM SEA TO PHX. WHILE ON CTR, ACR #2 AND ACR #3 ALSO CHKED IN FOR THE KARLO 6 STAR INTO PHX. JUST ABOUT 10 MINS BEFORE I THOUGHT WE WOULD BE STARTING OUR DSCNT, I LEFT THE COCKPIT TO USE THE LAV. AS I CAME BACK INTO THE COCKPIT, THE CAPT WAS PUTTING IN AN ALT OF FL290. AS I PUT MY HEADSET ON AND WE STARTED DOWN, I HEARD THE CTLR ASK ACR #2 DID YOU GET YOUR CLRNC TO FL290. I WASN'T CONVINCED THE CLRNC WAS FOR US, SO WE VERIFIED IT. THE CTLR TOLD US THE CLRNC WAS FOR ACR #2, WHO HAD NOT HEARD THE CLRNC. BY THIS TIME, WE HAD DSNDED TO FL325 AND CLBED UP TO FL330. THERE WERE NO CONFLICTS WITH ANY TFC. OUR COMPANY HAS BEEN TOLD NUMEROUS TIMES ABOUT THE PROBS OF SCHEDULING SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS FOR ARRS AT THE SAME TIME. ALSO CONTRIBUTING WAS THE FACT THAT ONLY ONE PLT HEARD THE 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.