Narrative:

ZNY cleared air carrier 123 to cross holey at 11000 ft. The captain read the clearance back and I started down to cross holey at 11000 ft. At about 13000 ft there was a garbled transmission and someone said, 'center, you were stepped on' and ATC said, 'air carrier 123, cross rbv at 8000 ft.' the captain read back the clearance of, 'air carrier 123 cross rbv at 8000 ft,' at that time I set 8000 ft in the altitude window on the MCP. The captain confirmed the 8000 ft altitude and I started to slow to 250 KTS, continued the descent to cross rbv at 8000 ft. As we (air carrier 123) descended through about 10000 ft, ATC said, 'air carrier 123, what altitude are you at? I (ATC) show 10000 ft and I only cleared you to 11000 ft.' the captain replied, 'air carrier 123 is out of 10000 ft to cross rbv at 8000 ft as cleared.' ATC replied, 'rbv at 8000 ft was for air carrier 23 and not you air carrier 123.' (at no time did we hear any air carrier 23 on the frequency or were we advised that a company aircraft would be on the frequency.) then ATC said, 'air carrier 123, cross rbv at 8000 ft.' we continued to ewr and landed. Supplemental information from acn 464940: descending on the robbinsville arrival into newark, flight 123 was initially given, 'cross holey at 11000 ft.' there was no conflict problem. However, there was no aircraft 23 on the frequency nor one arriving at newark.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 CREW RPTED THAT, WHILE ON THE ROBBINSVILLE STAR INTO EWR, THEY RECEIVED AND ACKNOWLEDGED A SERIES OF CLRNCS THAT ZNY LATER SAID WAS FOR A COMPANY ACFT WITH TWO OF THE SAME FLT NUMBERS. THE PLTS BOTH CLAIM THAT NO SUCH ACFT WAS IN THEIR AIRSPACE, NOR DID A COMPANY LAND AT EWR WITH SUCH A CALL SIGN.

Narrative: ZNY CLRED ACR 123 TO CROSS HOLEY AT 11000 FT. THE CAPT READ THE CLRNC BACK AND I STARTED DOWN TO CROSS HOLEY AT 11000 FT. AT ABOUT 13000 FT THERE WAS A GARBLED XMISSION AND SOMEONE SAID, 'CTR, YOU WERE STEPPED ON' AND ATC SAID, 'ACR 123, CROSS RBV AT 8000 FT.' THE CAPT READ BACK THE CLRNC OF, 'ACR 123 CROSS RBV AT 8000 FT,' AT THAT TIME I SET 8000 FT IN THE ALT WINDOW ON THE MCP. THE CAPT CONFIRMED THE 8000 FT ALT AND I STARTED TO SLOW TO 250 KTS, CONTINUED THE DSCNT TO CROSS RBV AT 8000 FT. AS WE (ACR 123) DSNDED THROUGH ABOUT 10000 FT, ATC SAID, 'ACR 123, WHAT ALT ARE YOU AT? I (ATC) SHOW 10000 FT AND I ONLY CLRED YOU TO 11000 FT.' THE CAPT REPLIED, 'ACR 123 IS OUT OF 10000 FT TO CROSS RBV AT 8000 FT AS CLRED.' ATC REPLIED, 'RBV AT 8000 FT WAS FOR ACR 23 AND NOT YOU ACR 123.' (AT NO TIME DID WE HEAR ANY ACR 23 ON THE FREQ OR WERE WE ADVISED THAT A COMPANY ACFT WOULD BE ON THE FREQ.) THEN ATC SAID, 'ACR 123, CROSS RBV AT 8000 FT.' WE CONTINUED TO EWR AND LANDED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 464940: DSNDING ON THE ROBBINSVILLE ARR INTO NEWARK, FLT 123 WAS INITIALLY GIVEN, 'CROSS HOLEY AT 11000 FT.' THERE WAS NO CONFLICT PROB. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO ACFT 23 ON THE FREQ NOR ONE ARRIVING AT NEWARK.

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.