An MD80 crew turned left 60 degrees, responding to another aircraft's clearance.

Attributes
ACN	501870
Time
Date	200102
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : csn.vortac
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 11000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : ott
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	501870
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ATC advised to turn left 060 degrees. I read back 'turn left 060 degrees' and first officer turned aircraft to appropriate heading. About 1 min later, ATC stated we had turned the wrong way and requested we turn right and return to the ott 5 arrival. We accomplished same. I advised controller we had accepted and read back a clearance for a left turn of 060 degrees. Controller replied 'that was for another aircraft.' I don't know if the controller used the wrong call sign or if we accepted an instruction for another aircraft, but I clearly read back flight number and 'turn left 060 degrees.' there was no challenge from ATC to my readback. Controller was quite busy issuing rapid-fire exchanges with multiple aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CREW TURNED L 60 DEGS, RESPONDING TO ANOTHER ACFT'S CLRNC.

Narrative: ATC ADVISED TO TURN L 060 DEGS. I READ BACK 'TURN L 060 DEGS' AND FO TURNED ACFT TO APPROPRIATE HDG. ABOUT 1 MIN LATER, ATC STATED WE HAD TURNED THE WRONG WAY AND REQUESTED WE TURN R AND RETURN TO THE OTT 5 ARR. WE ACCOMPLISHED SAME. I ADVISED CTLR WE HAD ACCEPTED AND READ BACK A CLRNC FOR A L TURN OF 060 DEGS. CTLR REPLIED 'THAT WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT.' I DON'T KNOW IF THE CTLR USED THE WRONG CALL SIGN OR IF WE ACCEPTED AN INSTRUCTION FOR ANOTHER ACFT, BUT I CLRLY READ BACK FLT NUMBER AND 'TURN L 060 DEGS.' THERE WAS NO CHALLENGE FROM ATC TO MY READBACK. CTLR WAS QUITE BUSY ISSUING RAPID-FIRE EXCHANGES WITH MULTIPLE ACFT.

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.