A B727 crew followed a clearance for another aircraft with a similar call sign, northwest of dfw.

Attributes
ACN	520023
Time
Date	200107
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ukw.vortac
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 32300 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	arrival star : bowie 6
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	520023
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Arriving dfw from the northwest, approximately 150 NM from bowie with an expected published crossing restr of FL240, 47 NM northwest of bowie, I thought I heard center clear us to FL240. This was also expected. I acknowledged the clearance to descend with my callsign and a readback of the clearance. Passing FL323, center asked us for our altitude. I replied with passing FL323 for FL240. ZFW told us to go back to FL330, that the descent clearance was for another aircraft. The other aircraft had a similar sounding call sign. We were given the descent clearance to FL240 just a few mins later. We were never warned of the similar call sign by center, nor did we hear them acknowledge the clearance to descend. The controller did not hear our readback and may have been working multiple frequencys.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 CREW FOLLOWED A CLRNC FOR ANOTHER ACFT WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN, NW OF DFW.

Narrative: ARRIVING DFW FROM THE NW, APPROX 150 NM FROM BOWIE WITH AN EXPECTED PUBLISHED XING RESTR OF FL240, 47 NM NW OF BOWIE, I THOUGHT I HEARD CTR CLR US TO FL240. THIS WAS ALSO EXPECTED. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC TO DSND WITH MY CALLSIGN AND A READBACK OF THE CLRNC. PASSING FL323, CTR ASKED US FOR OUR ALT. I REPLIED WITH PASSING FL323 FOR FL240. ZFW TOLD US TO GO BACK TO FL330, THAT THE DSCNT CLRNC WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT. THE OTHER ACFT HAD A SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN. WE WERE GIVEN THE DSCNT CLRNC TO FL240 JUST A FEW MINS LATER. WE WERE NEVER WARNED OF THE SIMILAR CALL SIGN BY CTR, NOR DID WE HEAR THEM ACKNOWLEDGE THE CLRNC TO DSND. THE CTLR DID NOT HEAR OUR READBACK AND MAY HAVE BEEN WORKING MULTIPLE FREQS.

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.