Narrative:

The following incident occurred during the arrival phase of an IFR flight from ft lauderdale (fll) to st thomas, vi (tist). Traffic was landing to the east at time of our arrival. Beechjet X was issued a clearance by st thomas approach control for descent to 3000 ft MSL. Clearance was acknowledged and descent executed. Next clearance received was for turn to 090 degrees. Clearance acknowledged and turn executed. There was a similar call sign in the area. The controller referenced that aircraft as aircraft Y, Z and U. These numbers are familiar to us as we have aircraft bearing Z and U in company fleet. Aircraft Y was cleared to 5000 ft at approximately the same time as aircraft X was cleared to 3000 ft. Upon reaching a point 20 NM north of tist and still on the 090 degree vector we felt that approach control had forgotten about us. When copilot reminded approach that we were landing at tist controller asked our altitude. Controller stated that we were cleared only to 5000 ft. (I believe the similar call signs had the controller confused.) aircraft X was given subsequent vectors for r-hand traffic for landing. No TCASII or visual traffic conflicts were apparent. Vigilance to similar call sign needs to be stressed to both pilots and ATC controllers. Our clrncs were acknowledged by full call sign.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WITH SEVERAL SIMILAR CALL SIGNS ON THE FREQ, CTLR LOOSES TRACK OF WHO IS CLRED TO BE AT WHAT ALT NEAR TIST, VI.

Narrative: THE FOLLOWING INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE ARR PHASE OF AN IFR FLT FROM FT LAUDERDALE (FLL) TO ST THOMAS, VI (TIST). TFC WAS LNDG TO THE E AT TIME OF OUR ARR. BEECHJET X WAS ISSUED A CLRNC BY ST THOMAS APCH CTL FOR DSCNT TO 3000 FT MSL. CLRNC WAS ACKNOWLEDGED AND DSCNT EXECUTED. NEXT CLRNC RECEIVED WAS FOR TURN TO 090 DEGS. CLRNC ACKNOWLEDGED AND TURN EXECUTED. THERE WAS A SIMILAR CALL SIGN IN THE AREA. THE CTLR REFED THAT ACFT AS ACFT Y, Z AND U. THESE NUMBERS ARE FAMILIAR TO US AS WE HAVE ACFT BEARING Z AND U IN COMPANY FLEET. ACFT Y WAS CLRED TO 5000 FT AT APPROX THE SAME TIME AS ACFT X WAS CLRED TO 3000 FT. UPON REACHING A POINT 20 NM N OF TIST AND STILL ON THE 090 DEG VECTOR WE FELT THAT APCH CTL HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT US. WHEN COPLT REMINDED APCH THAT WE WERE LNDG AT TIST CTLR ASKED OUR ALT. CTLR STATED THAT WE WERE CLRED ONLY TO 5000 FT. (I BELIEVE THE SIMILAR CALL SIGNS HAD THE CTLR CONFUSED.) ACFT X WAS GIVEN SUBSEQUENT VECTORS FOR R-HAND TFC FOR LNDG. NO TCASII OR VISUAL TFC CONFLICTS WERE APPARENT. VIGILANCE TO SIMILAR CALL SIGN NEEDS TO BE STRESSED TO BOTH PLTS AND ATC CTLRS. OUR CLRNCS WERE ACKNOWLEDGED BY FULL CALL SIGN.

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.