Narrative:

On arrival, approach cleared an aircraft to 6000 ft and 210 KTS upon reaching. We were flight air carrier X. It sounded like the controller said 'air carrier X.' did not notice this flight number in previous xmissions. After the clearance, no one responded. I queried the controller if the clearance to descend to 6000 ft was for flight air carrier X. He said 'yes, descend and maintain 6000 ft and slow to 210 KTS.' I read back, 'air carrier X, maintain 6000 ft and slow to 210 KTS.' as we descended passing about 6500 ft the controller said 'air carrier X, climb immediately to maintain 7000 ft.' it turned out the original clearance was for a flight same number. I then remarked again that I had verified that clearance and read back again 'air carrier X to maintain 6000 ft.' we were in no danger of a conflict when the controller caught his error. We had visual of an aircraft left to right at 6000 ft. Several like call signs during a busy arrival bank time caused this. This is an ongoing threat to safety in the terminal area with like call signs. After landing, I called ian approach to verify what had happened. The response on the phone was 'we owe you an apology' from the supervisor. The controller did clear us incorrectly, not realizing he said our flight number. The controller did realize his error and subsequently cleared us back to 7000 ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LGT RESPONDED TO SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN TO WHICH THE CTLR DID NOT NOTICE THE MISTAKE UNTIL OBSERVING THE WRONG ACFT DSNDING TO HIS CLRNC. THE CTLR DID NOT CATCH THE ERROR AFTER THE FLC CAREFULLY READ BACK THE CLRNC BEFORE STARTING THE DSCNT.

Narrative: ON ARR, APCH CLRED AN ACFT TO 6000 FT AND 210 KTS UPON REACHING. WE WERE FLT ACR X. IT SOUNDED LIKE THE CTLR SAID 'ACR X.' DID NOT NOTICE THIS FLT NUMBER IN PREVIOUS XMISSIONS. AFTER THE CLRNC, NO ONE RESPONDED. I QUERIED THE CTLR IF THE CLRNC TO DSND TO 6000 FT WAS FOR FLT ACR X. HE SAID 'YES, DSND AND MAINTAIN 6000 FT AND SLOW TO 210 KTS.' I READ BACK, 'ACR X, MAINTAIN 6000 FT AND SLOW TO 210 KTS.' AS WE DSNDED PASSING ABOUT 6500 FT THE CTLR SAID 'ACR X, CLB IMMEDIATELY TO MAINTAIN 7000 FT.' IT TURNED OUT THE ORIGINAL CLRNC WAS FOR A FLT SAME NUMBER. I THEN REMARKED AGAIN THAT I HAD VERIFIED THAT CLRNC AND READ BACK AGAIN 'ACR X TO MAINTAIN 6000 FT.' WE WERE IN NO DANGER OF A CONFLICT WHEN THE CTLR CAUGHT HIS ERROR. WE HAD VISUAL OF AN ACFT L TO R AT 6000 FT. SEVERAL LIKE CALL SIGNS DURING A BUSY ARR BANK TIME CAUSED THIS. THIS IS AN ONGOING THREAT TO SAFETY IN THE TERMINAL AREA WITH LIKE CALL SIGNS. AFTER LNDG, I CALLED IAN APCH TO VERIFY WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THE RESPONSE ON THE PHONE WAS 'WE OWE YOU AN APOLOGY' FROM THE SUPVR. THE CTLR DID CLR US INCORRECTLY, NOT REALIZING HE SAID OUR FLT NUMBER. THE CTLR DID REALIZE HIS ERROR AND SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED US BACK TO 7000 FT.

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.