B757 flight crew acknowledge ZBW descent clearance without challenge only later to be questioned to ...

Attributes
ACN	509933
Time
Date	200105
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : alb.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.artcc tracon : mia.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 22000 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	509933
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

En route aircraft X msp-bos at FL370 in a B757. Encountered continuous light turbulence. Requested a lower altitude from ZBW 123.87. The first officer (PF) acknowledged clearance to FL290. He was kind enough to fly and handle ATC while I finished my meal. While descending to FL290 we thought that aircraft X was cleared to FL280. We acknowledged 'aircraft X maintain FL280.' shortly after leveling at FL280, ZBW asked us our altitude. We replied 'FL280.' ATC then stated that he had aircraft Y on our frequency and that FL280 was meant for aircraft Y. At no time prior to this were we advised or made aware of the similar call signs. ATC left us at FL280 since there was no traffic conflict. At no time did we have a loss of separation. I still feel that ZBW cleared aircraft X to FL280 instead of aircraft Y.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLC ACKNOWLEDGE ZBW DSCNT CLRNC WITHOUT CHALLENGE ONLY LATER TO BE QUESTIONED TO VERIFY ALT.

Narrative: ENRTE ACFT X MSP-BOS AT FL370 IN A B757. ENCOUNTERED CONTINUOUS LIGHT TURB. REQUESTED A LOWER ALT FROM ZBW 123.87. THE FO (PF) ACKNOWLEDGED CLRNC TO FL290. HE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO FLY AND HANDLE ATC WHILE I FINISHED MY MEAL. WHILE DSNDING TO FL290 WE THOUGHT THAT ACFT X WAS CLRED TO FL280. WE ACKNOWLEDGED 'ACFT X MAINTAIN FL280.' SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING AT FL280, ZBW ASKED US OUR ALT. WE REPLIED 'FL280.' ATC THEN STATED THAT HE HAD ACFT Y ON OUR FREQ AND THAT FL280 WAS MEANT FOR ACFT Y. AT NO TIME PRIOR TO THIS WERE WE ADVISED OR MADE AWARE OF THE SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. ATC LEFT US AT FL280 SINCE THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT. AT NO TIME DID WE HAVE A LOSS OF SEPARATION. I STILL FEEL THAT ZBW CLRED ACFT X TO FL280 INSTEAD OF ACFT Y.

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.

B757 flight crew acknowledge ZBW descent clearance without challenge only later to be questioned to verify altitude.