Narrative:

During descent, we were issued an altitude of 7000 ft by approach control. The captain (PNF) put this altitude in the altitude select box and read it back to approach control. He then said 7000 ft aloud and I repeated it, which is company procedure. At this time the captain told approach that we had the field in sight. This all occurred through about 13000 ft to 12000 ft MSL. In the next few mins before we reached 8000 ft, a new approach controller came on to relieve the original controller. In addition to ourselves, which had a call sign of hhb, there was another company aircraft by the call sign of bhhb. Through 7600 ft MSL, approach control called and said 'hhb verify 8000 ft assigned altitude.' the captain responded that we were assigned 7000 ft and that we had the terrain and field in sight, at which point I began a climb for 8000 ft. Approach control said that the 7000 ft was for company aircraft, but we could now descend to 4500 ft and expect the visual in a few mi. The 2 contributing factors were the 2 company aircraft with similar call signs and controllers switching stations and responsibilities. The airport and terrain were in sight the whole time and there was no traffic conflicts. This was a good day for such a learning experience.

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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 BOI, ID.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT, WE WERE ISSUED AN ALT OF 7000 FT BY APCH CTL. THE CAPT (PNF) PUT THIS ALT IN THE ALT SELECT BOX AND READ IT BACK TO APCH CTL. HE THEN SAID 7000 FT ALOUD AND I REPEATED IT, WHICH IS COMPANY PROC. AT THIS TIME THE CAPT TOLD APCH THAT WE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT. THIS ALL OCCURRED THROUGH ABOUT 13000 FT TO 12000 FT MSL. IN THE NEXT FEW MINS BEFORE WE REACHED 8000 FT, A NEW APCH CTLR CAME ON TO RELIEVE THE ORIGINAL CTLR. IN ADDITION TO OURSELVES, WHICH HAD A CALL SIGN OF HHB, THERE WAS ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT BY THE CALL SIGN OF BHHB. THROUGH 7600 FT MSL, APCH CTL CALLED AND SAID 'HHB VERIFY 8000 FT ASSIGNED ALT.' THE CAPT RESPONDED THAT WE WERE ASSIGNED 7000 FT AND THAT WE HAD THE TERRAIN AND FIELD IN SIGHT, AT WHICH POINT I BEGAN A CLB FOR 8000 FT. APCH CTL SAID THAT THE 7000 FT WAS FOR COMPANY ACFT, BUT WE COULD NOW DSND TO 4500 FT AND EXPECT THE VISUAL IN A FEW MI. THE 2 CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE 2 COMPANY ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS AND CTLRS SWITCHING STATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. THE ARPT AND TERRAIN WERE IN SIGHT THE WHOLE TIME AND THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICTS. THIS WAS A GOOD DAY FOR SUCH A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

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.