ZOB controller issued descent clearance to the wrong aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	420933
Time
Date	199811
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zob
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	420933
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

ZOB cleared us to FL250 from FL330 approximately 40 mins from landing at ewr. First officer read back clearance and we descended to FL250. Approximately 5 mins later, we received a company ACARS telling us to contact ATC on 132.92. We checked in on 132.92 on #2 radio to see what was up. ZNY idented us and asked what we were doing at FL250. We responded that we were cleared to FL250 by ZOB and were still in contact with them. ZNY then gave us another frequency to go to. We checked back with ZOB on original frequency of 132.12 and asked if we were still on right frequency and that we were at FL250 as per his clearance. Silence followed hesitation, then a new frequency of 124.32, who then sent us to ZNY on 128.57, followed by a request to call ATC on landing reference a possible ATC clearance deviation. I called ATC on landing in ewr. They said they were listening to the tape and confirmed we acknowledged being cleared to FL250. ATC said evidently the controller meant to clear a different aircraft to FL250, not us, and the problem would be taken care of at 'their end.' supposedly, end of story as far as 'alleged' pilot deviation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZOB CTLR ISSUED DSCNT CLRNC TO THE WRONG ACFT.

Narrative: ZOB CLRED US TO FL250 FROM FL330 APPROX 40 MINS FROM LNDG AT EWR. FO READ BACK CLRNC AND WE DSNDED TO FL250. APPROX 5 MINS LATER, WE RECEIVED A COMPANY ACARS TELLING US TO CONTACT ATC ON 132.92. WE CHKED IN ON 132.92 ON #2 RADIO TO SEE WHAT WAS UP. ZNY IDENTED US AND ASKED WHAT WE WERE DOING AT FL250. WE RESPONDED THAT WE WERE CLRED TO FL250 BY ZOB AND WERE STILL IN CONTACT WITH THEM. ZNY THEN GAVE US ANOTHER FREQ TO GO TO. WE CHKED BACK WITH ZOB ON ORIGINAL FREQ OF 132.12 AND ASKED IF WE WERE STILL ON RIGHT FREQ AND THAT WE WERE AT FL250 AS PER HIS CLRNC. SILENCE FOLLOWED HESITATION, THEN A NEW FREQ OF 124.32, WHO THEN SENT US TO ZNY ON 128.57, FOLLOWED BY A REQUEST TO CALL ATC ON LNDG REF A POSSIBLE ATC CLRNC DEV. I CALLED ATC ON LNDG IN EWR. THEY SAID THEY WERE LISTENING TO THE TAPE AND CONFIRMED WE ACKNOWLEDGED BEING CLRED TO FL250. ATC SAID EVIDENTLY THE CTLR MEANT TO CLR A DIFFERENT ACFT TO FL250, NOT US, AND THE PROB WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF AT 'THEIR END.' SUPPOSEDLY, END OF STORY AS FAR AS 'ALLEGED' PLTDEV.

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.