Foreign controller mixed up 2 aircraft with similar call signs until the reporter questioned the con...

Attributes
ACN	465463
Time
Date	200003
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tist.airport
State Reference	VI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Beechjet 400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	465463
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

On descent for landing at st thomas, approximately 40 mi northwest of the airport, we were given a vector: left turn to 090 degrees, descend and maintain 6000 ft. Shortly thereafter, an aircraft checked on the frequency with a call sign/registration similar to ours. The last 2 letters of the registration were the same. The controller gave the other aircraft numerous vectors while we were still on our original 090 degree heading and 5000 ft. The next instruction we received was a descent to 3000 ft. We read the clearance back and complied. After some time had passed (approximately 5 mins), our position was then 20 mi north of st thomas on an eastbound heading going away from the airport. Thinking that the controller had forgotten us, I queried him stating our position and altitude. He replied asking what we wanted to do. Informed him that we were 20 mi north of our destination eastbound at 3000 ft and we intended to land at st thomas. He then replied that our clearance was only to 5000 ft. I replied that we were instructed to descend to 3000 ft and the aircraft with the similar registration was instructed to 5000 ft. That was all that was said. He turned us south and vectored us for st thomas. The controller's workload at the time was high. He seemed confused by the 2 aircraft with similar registrations. No aircraft were anywhere near our position at the time of the incident, no safety of flight issue.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FOREIGN CTLR MIXED UP 2 ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS UNTIL THE RPTR QUESTIONED THE CTLR REGARDING THEIR CLRNC, LOCATION AND INTENTIONS.

Narrative: ON DSCNT FOR LNDG AT ST THOMAS, APPROX 40 MI NW OF THE ARPT, WE WERE GIVEN A VECTOR: L TURN TO 090 DEGS, DSND AND MAINTAIN 6000 FT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, AN ACFT CHKED ON THE FREQ WITH A CALL SIGN/REGISTRATION SIMILAR TO OURS. THE LAST 2 LETTERS OF THE REGISTRATION WERE THE SAME. THE CTLR GAVE THE OTHER ACFT NUMEROUS VECTORS WHILE WE WERE STILL ON OUR ORIGINAL 090 DEG HDG AND 5000 FT. THE NEXT INSTRUCTION WE RECEIVED WAS A DSCNT TO 3000 FT. WE READ THE CLRNC BACK AND COMPLIED. AFTER SOME TIME HAD PASSED (APPROX 5 MINS), OUR POS WAS THEN 20 MI N OF ST THOMAS ON AN EBOUND HDG GOING AWAY FROM THE ARPT. THINKING THAT THE CTLR HAD FORGOTTEN US, I QUERIED HIM STATING OUR POS AND ALT. HE REPLIED ASKING WHAT WE WANTED TO DO. INFORMED HIM THAT WE WERE 20 MI N OF OUR DEST EBOUND AT 3000 FT AND WE INTENDED TO LAND AT ST THOMAS. HE THEN REPLIED THAT OUR CLRNC WAS ONLY TO 5000 FT. I REPLIED THAT WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO DSND TO 3000 FT AND THE ACFT WITH THE SIMILAR REGISTRATION WAS INSTRUCTED TO 5000 FT. THAT WAS ALL THAT WAS SAID. HE TURNED US S AND VECTORED US FOR ST THOMAS. THE CTLR'S WORKLOAD AT THE TIME WAS HIGH. HE SEEMED CONFUSED BY THE 2 ACFT WITH SIMILAR REGISTRATIONS. NO ACFT WERE ANYWHERE NEAR OUR POS AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, NO SAFETY OF FLT ISSUE.

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.

Foreign controller mixed up 2 aircraft with similar call signs until the reporter questioned the controller regarding their clearance, location and intentions.