Narrative:

We were flight X on the cetus 2 arrival at 12000 ft on the dxo 147 degree radial. Company aircraft was flight Y on the same arrival in front of us. Detroit approach told us (aircraft X) to descend to 8000 ft and turn right to a heading of 030 degrees. We did this, and as we descended through 10700 ft, approach told us (aircraft X) to level at 11000 ft and turn left to 340 degrees immediately! I returned to 11000 ft and turned left to 340 degrees. After this event, detroit approach told company flight Y to descend to 8000 ft and turn right to 030 degrees. Sound familiar? I proceeded to ask approach if there was a mix-up with the flight numbers. He (approach) came back and said we took the wrong clearance and it was for flight Y. I replied, we read our flight number back with the directions and approach did not come back and correct us. Needless to say, I was confused because my first officer and I both heard approach say flight X. When I got on the ground, I found the crew of flight Y. I asked them what they heard about our situation. The crew of flight Y said we (flight X) accepted the correct clearance and approach was in error. This made me feel better. I proceeded to call detroit approach on the phone and asked to speak to the controller of that frequency at the time of the event. The supervisor for this controller got on the phone. He said he pulled and listened to the tapes and said that it was 'controller error.' the approach supervisor told us not to worry about it as it was not flight X's fault. I said thank you and the event was over. I am sure the controller was talked to about the event. We all make mistakes -- luckily a worse situation was avoided.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 ACR SF34'S ARE ON THE SAME FREQ AT THE SAME TIME ON APCH TO DTW. THE APCH CTLR ISSUES TURN AND DSCNT TO WHAT TURNS OUT TO BE THE WRONG ACR. PLT CONFIRMS ON THE GND WITH TRACON THAT CTLR STATED THE WRONG CALL SIGN.

Narrative: WE WERE FLT X ON THE CETUS 2 ARR AT 12000 FT ON THE DXO 147 DEG RADIAL. COMPANY ACFT WAS FLT Y ON THE SAME ARR IN FRONT OF US. DETROIT APCH TOLD US (ACFT X) TO DSND TO 8000 FT AND TURN R TO A HDG OF 030 DEGS. WE DID THIS, AND AS WE DSNDED THROUGH 10700 FT, APCH TOLD US (ACFT X) TO LEVEL AT 11000 FT AND TURN L TO 340 DEGS IMMEDIATELY! I RETURNED TO 11000 FT AND TURNED L TO 340 DEGS. AFTER THIS EVENT, DETROIT APCH TOLD COMPANY FLT Y TO DSND TO 8000 FT AND TURN R TO 030 DEGS. SOUND FAMILIAR? I PROCEEDED TO ASK APCH IF THERE WAS A MIX-UP WITH THE FLT NUMBERS. HE (APCH) CAME BACK AND SAID WE TOOK THE WRONG CLRNC AND IT WAS FOR FLT Y. I REPLIED, WE READ OUR FLT NUMBER BACK WITH THE DIRECTIONS AND APCH DID NOT COME BACK AND CORRECT US. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WAS CONFUSED BECAUSE MY FO AND I BOTH HEARD APCH SAY FLT X. WHEN I GOT ON THE GND, I FOUND THE CREW OF FLT Y. I ASKED THEM WHAT THEY HEARD ABOUT OUR SIT. THE CREW OF FLT Y SAID WE (FLT X) ACCEPTED THE CORRECT CLRNC AND APCH WAS IN ERROR. THIS MADE ME FEEL BETTER. I PROCEEDED TO CALL DETROIT APCH ON THE PHONE AND ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE CTLR OF THAT FREQ AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT. THE SUPVR FOR THIS CTLR GOT ON THE PHONE. HE SAID HE PULLED AND LISTENED TO THE TAPES AND SAID THAT IT WAS 'CTLR ERROR.' THE APCH SUPVR TOLD US NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT AS IT WAS NOT FLT X'S FAULT. I SAID THANK YOU AND THE EVENT WAS OVER. I AM SURE THE CTLR WAS TALKED TO ABOUT THE EVENT. WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES -- LUCKILY A WORSE SIT WAS AVOIDED.

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.