Narrative:

Upon contacting houston approach, was informed there was air carrier afbf on frequency. We were air carrier ahbf (aircraft X). Was issued a 085 degree heading off oxonn intersection and told to expect ILS runway 27 at iah. Departed oxonn on 085 degree heading and was told to slow to 220 KTS. Air carrier afbf (aircraft Y) also was issued instructions and told to expect ILS runway 26 iah. 5 mi from oxonn on 085 degree heading, ATC cleared us 'aircraft X, slow to 170 KTS, then down to 4000 ft.' read back clearance and I started to slow. Upon reaching 170 KTS, I started to descend to 4000 ft. At 5600 ft, ATC asked 'air carrier X, you are level 6000 ft?' I immediately climbed back up to 6000 ft. ATC stated that there was no problem. ATC then cleared air carrier Y to slow to 170 KTS and descend to 4000 ft. The first officer and I both heard and he acknowledged clearance to 4000 ft. Air carrier Y never questioned ATC either and remained at 6000 ft until controller cleared him down to 4000 ft. This incident is a recurring problem with like sounding call numbers. Air carrier Y comes in from the north and is scheduled to land at AB30. Air carrier X comes in from south and is scheduled to land 7 mins later. This creates a situation for controllers where 2 aircraft are being vectored for 2 approachs to 2 different runways at the same time by the same controller and have very similar sounding call signs. This creates pilot and controller confusion during one of the most critical phases of flight. Even with everyone being made aware of the call signs, the potential exists for mistakes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLT IS ASSIGNED THE CLRNC INTENDED FOR ANOTHER COMPANY FLT WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN BY APCH CTLR AT IAH, TX.

Narrative: UPON CONTACTING HOUSTON APCH, WAS INFORMED THERE WAS ACR AFBF ON FREQ. WE WERE ACR AHBF (ACFT X). WAS ISSUED A 085 DEG HDG OFF OXONN INTXN AND TOLD TO EXPECT ILS RWY 27 AT IAH. DEPARTED OXONN ON 085 DEG HDG AND WAS TOLD TO SLOW TO 220 KTS. ACR AFBF (ACFT Y) ALSO WAS ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS AND TOLD TO EXPECT ILS RWY 26 IAH. 5 MI FROM OXONN ON 085 DEG HDG, ATC CLRED US 'ACFT X, SLOW TO 170 KTS, THEN DOWN TO 4000 FT.' READ BACK CLRNC AND I STARTED TO SLOW. UPON REACHING 170 KTS, I STARTED TO DSND TO 4000 FT. AT 5600 FT, ATC ASKED 'ACR X, YOU ARE LEVEL 6000 FT?' I IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK UP TO 6000 FT. ATC STATED THAT THERE WAS NO PROB. ATC THEN CLRED ACR Y TO SLOW TO 170 KTS AND DSND TO 4000 FT. THE FO AND I BOTH HEARD AND HE ACKNOWLEDGED CLRNC TO 4000 FT. ACR Y NEVER QUESTIONED ATC EITHER AND REMAINED AT 6000 FT UNTIL CTLR CLRED HIM DOWN TO 4000 FT. THIS INCIDENT IS A RECURRING PROB WITH LIKE SOUNDING CALL NUMBERS. ACR Y COMES IN FROM THE N AND IS SCHEDULED TO LAND AT AB30. ACR X COMES IN FROM S AND IS SCHEDULED TO LAND 7 MINS LATER. THIS CREATES A SIT FOR CTLRS WHERE 2 ACFT ARE BEING VECTORED FOR 2 APCHS TO 2 DIFFERENT RWYS AT THE SAME TIME BY THE SAME CTLR AND HAVE VERY SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS. THIS CREATES PLT AND CTLR CONFUSION DURING ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL PHASES OF FLT. EVEN WITH EVERYONE BEING MADE AWARE OF THE CALL SIGNS, THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR MISTAKES.

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.