EMB120 flight crew responded to another aircraft's (beech baron's) clearance.

Attributes
ACN	542301
Time
Date	200203
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : crw.airport
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : crw.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : crw.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Baron 55/Cochise
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 186 flight time total : 803 flight time type : 447
ASRS Report	542301
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert 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	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

While descending to 5000 ft, crw approach informed us we would be #3 for landing. On right downwind at 5000 ft, ATC cleared us for the visual to runway 23 and to contact the tower. I (first officer PNF) read the clearance back to ATC using our aircraft's call sign and switched to tower frequency. We started our descent and upon contacting the tower, the controller stated that there was a pilot deviation, maintain 3000 ft, fly heading 055 degrees and contact departure. We confirmed the assignment to contact departure. Departure informed us that there was a pilot deviation, contact him on the ground and continue on our heading. Visual contact with other aircraft and airport were not lost until we were instructed to return to departure frequency. While on extended right downwind for runway 23, we visually acquired the baron as it passed approximately 3 mi off our right wingtip. ATC then instructed us to fly heading 170 degrees and call the airport in sight. Rest of flight was uneventful. While the captain was talking to ATC on the ground, they informed him that we had accepted the baron's clearance by mistake.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB120 FLC RESPONDED TO ANOTHER ACFT'S (BEECH BARON'S) CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING TO 5000 FT, CRW APCH INFORMED US WE WOULD BE #3 FOR LNDG. ON R DOWNWIND AT 5000 FT, ATC CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 23 AND TO CONTACT THE TWR. I (FO PNF) READ THE CLRNC BACK TO ATC USING OUR ACFT'S CALL SIGN AND SWITCHED TO TWR FREQ. WE STARTED OUR DSCNT AND UPON CONTACTING THE TWR, THE CTLR STATED THAT THERE WAS A PLTDEV, MAINTAIN 3000 FT, FLY HDG 055 DEGS AND CONTACT DEP. WE CONFIRMED THE ASSIGNMENT TO CONTACT DEP. DEP INFORMED US THAT THERE WAS A PLTDEV, CONTACT HIM ON THE GND AND CONTINUE ON OUR HDG. VISUAL CONTACT WITH OTHER ACFT AND ARPT WERE NOT LOST UNTIL WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN TO DEP FREQ. WHILE ON EXTENDED R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 23, WE VISUALLY ACQUIRED THE BARON AS IT PASSED APPROX 3 MI OFF OUR R WINGTIP. ATC THEN INSTRUCTED US TO FLY HDG 170 DEGS AND CALL THE ARPT IN SIGHT. REST OF FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. WHILE THE CAPT WAS TALKING TO ATC ON THE GND, THEY INFORMED HIM THAT WE HAD ACCEPTED THE BARON'S CLRNC BY MISTAKE.

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.