An air carrier MD80 flight crew copied a clearance intended for another aircraft with a similar sounding call sign, but the alert ARTCC controller caught the error before any harm was done.

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Attributes
ACN	433228
Time
Date	199904
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ggg.vortac
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 25000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : holding cruise : level
Route In Use	arrival : holding pattern arrival star : dumpy.dumpy 2
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	433228
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	technician : airframe
ASRS Report	433229
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to original clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were holding as published at GGG at FL250, when ZFW cleared us direct cqy. We queried center to see if they wanted a right or a left turn. They answered with a right turn. We then tuned cqy and made the right turn direct. Shortly after, center asked us where we were holding. We told them we were now cleared direct cqy, but were holding at GGG. They said that clearance was not for us and to go back and hold at GGG. We tuned GGG and went back and entered the holding pattern.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MD80 FLC COPIED A CLRNC INTENDED FOR ANOTHER ACFT WITH A SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN, BUT THE ALERT ARTCC CTLR CAUGHT THE ERROR BEFORE ANY HARM WAS DONE.

Narrative: WE WERE HOLDING AS PUBLISHED AT GGG AT FL250, WHEN ZFW CLRED US DIRECT CQY. WE QUERIED CTR TO SEE IF THEY WANTED A R OR A L TURN. THEY ANSWERED WITH A R TURN. WE THEN TUNED CQY AND MADE THE R TURN DIRECT. SHORTLY AFTER, CTR ASKED US WHERE WE WERE HOLDING. WE TOLD THEM WE WERE NOW CLRED DIRECT CQY, BUT WERE HOLDING AT GGG. THEY SAID THAT CLRNC WAS NOT FOR US AND TO GO BACK AND HOLD AT GGG. WE TUNED GGG AND WENT BACK AND ENTERED THE HOLDING PATTERN.

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.