Narrative:

Flight air carrier X, xyz, was descending to 7000 ft MSL on rivers 2 arrival. At 13 DME from cardinal VOR, 1 mi prior to melvy on arrival, captain asked copilot to confirm assigned heading after melvy. Captain was flying and copilot was working radio. Approach control responded that heading for air carrier X, flight xyz, was 125 degrees after melvy. Flight crew then thought they heard approach control say 'air carrier X, xyz, you are coming down pretty good, so come right to 210 degrees and descend to 2500 ft.' air carrier X, flight xyz, was indeed descending rapidly, so we believed the call was for us. Copilot read back 'right to 210 degrees, descend to 2500 ft, xyz.' while in turn, approach control stated 'air carrier X, flight xyz, was supposed to have turned at melvy to 125 degrees and maintain 7000 ft.' approach control assigned a heading and captain stopped descent at approximately 5500 ft and returned to 7000 ft. Captain asked for approach control to pull audio tape. Approach control provided further vectoring. Rest of approach and landing uneventful. After landing, captain called approach control supervisor. Supervisor stated that he listened to tape several times. Supervisor stated that the tape presented the following: controller restated 'air carrier X, xyz, heading after melvy was 125 degrees.' controller then stated almost immediately 'air carrier Y, xyz, you are descending pretty good so turn 210 degrees and descend to 2500 ft.' controller was working air carrier Y, xyy, but used 'air carrier Y, xyz.' flight crew responded to 'xyz' call with following response: 'right 210 degrees, descend to 2500 ft, xyz.' crew did not use call sign 'air carrier X.' controller was very quick to note turn. Supervisor stated on phone that no paperwork would be filed and considered it a learning experience for flight crew and controller. Supervisor cautioned flight crew to use call sign consistently.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-30 FLC TAKES THE CLRNC FOR ANOTHER ACR AND EXPERIENCES A HDG ALTDEV WHILE GOING INTO STL, MO.

Narrative: FLT ACR X, XYZ, WAS DSNDING TO 7000 FT MSL ON RIVERS 2 ARR. AT 13 DME FROM CARDINAL VOR, 1 MI PRIOR TO MELVY ON ARR, CAPT ASKED COPLT TO CONFIRM ASSIGNED HDG AFTER MELVY. CAPT WAS FLYING AND COPLT WAS WORKING RADIO. APCH CTL RESPONDED THAT HDG FOR ACR X, FLT XYZ, WAS 125 DEGS AFTER MELVY. FLC THEN THOUGHT THEY HEARD APCH CTL SAY 'ACR X, XYZ, YOU ARE COMING DOWN PRETTY GOOD, SO COME R TO 210 DEGS AND DSND TO 2500 FT.' ACR X, FLT XYZ, WAS INDEED DSNDING RAPIDLY, SO WE BELIEVED THE CALL WAS FOR US. COPLT READ BACK 'R TO 210 DEGS, DSND TO 2500 FT, XYZ.' WHILE IN TURN, APCH CTL STATED 'ACR X, FLT XYZ, WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE TURNED AT MELVY TO 125 DEGS AND MAINTAIN 7000 FT.' APCH CTL ASSIGNED A HDG AND CAPT STOPPED DSCNT AT APPROX 5500 FT AND RETURNED TO 7000 FT. CAPT ASKED FOR APCH CTL TO PULL AUDIO TAPE. APCH CTL PROVIDED FURTHER VECTORING. REST OF APCH AND LNDG UNEVENTFUL. AFTER LNDG, CAPT CALLED APCH CTL SUPVR. SUPVR STATED THAT HE LISTENED TO TAPE SEVERAL TIMES. SUPVR STATED THAT THE TAPE PRESENTED THE FOLLOWING: CTLR RESTATED 'ACR X, XYZ, HDG AFTER MELVY WAS 125 DEGS.' CTLR THEN STATED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY 'ACR Y, XYZ, YOU ARE DSNDING PRETTY GOOD SO TURN 210 DEGS AND DSND TO 2500 FT.' CTLR WAS WORKING ACR Y, XYY, BUT USED 'ACR Y, XYZ.' FLC RESPONDED TO 'XYZ' CALL WITH FOLLOWING RESPONSE: 'R 210 DEGS, DSND TO 2500 FT, XYZ.' CREW DID NOT USE CALL SIGN 'ACR X.' CTLR WAS VERY QUICK TO NOTE TURN. SUPVR STATED ON PHONE THAT NO PAPERWORK WOULD BE FILED AND CONSIDERED IT A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR FLC AND CTLR. SUPVR CAUTIONED FLC TO USE CALL SIGN CONSISTENTLY.

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.