Narrative:

At cruise, FL330, we were called by ZDC, 'aircraft X, descend to FL280 and expedite for traffic.' the first officer was doing radio duties and read back our call sign and responded 'roger, aircraft X out of FL330 for FL280 and hurry down.' about 1 min later we heard center call another air carrier flight and ask them how fast could they get down to FL280. They said over 2000 FPM and center directed them to descend to FL280. They confirmed. Another min passed and we were called by center and asked, 'aircraft X, where are you going?' we explained, to fak for the arrival. Center asked what altitude are you going to and we explained FL280 and repeated what we were instructed to do. Center said that was for someone else, but everybody was stepping on everyone's calls, so 'what altitude do you want to be at?' we said FL280 would work fine and repeated our instructions and our readback of same. Center said 'no problem, maintain FL280' and switched us to the next controller sector. After discussing the situation, I decided to call back to the previous frequency and ask how to call them on the land line. I was told that they understood what had happened and everything was fine and not to worry about it. We said 'we're happy if you're happy.' that's the end of that. I believe that center miscalled us, intending to call aircraft Y, and the response was partially stepped on as evidenced by their later calling with the same request. I also believe that center was acting well in advance of a potential conflict and in fact, after the altitude changes, no conflict developed and no further action was needed. It was very busy and action was taken so far in advance that any potential conflict would have allowed a timely correction. These things happen and the system worked. There were no TCASII targets throughout the event and no vectoring or additional altitude changes. Supplemental information from acn 579434: I called back to center later on their frequency to get a telephone number to discuss the discrepancy and they said that there was no discrepancy, problem, or conflict. 'Did I still want the telephone number?' I said no and they said that was the end of it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLRNC CONFUSION AS 1 AIRLINE FLT IS ISSUED A CLRNC BY ATC MEANT FOR ANOTHER ACR FLT 60 NM SW OF FAK, VA.

Narrative: AT CRUISE, FL330, WE WERE CALLED BY ZDC, 'ACFT X, DSND TO FL280 AND EXPEDITE FOR TFC.' THE FO WAS DOING RADIO DUTIES AND READ BACK OUR CALL SIGN AND RESPONDED 'ROGER, ACFT X OUT OF FL330 FOR FL280 AND HURRY DOWN.' ABOUT 1 MIN LATER WE HEARD CTR CALL ANOTHER ACR FLT AND ASK THEM HOW FAST COULD THEY GET DOWN TO FL280. THEY SAID OVER 2000 FPM AND CTR DIRECTED THEM TO DSND TO FL280. THEY CONFIRMED. ANOTHER MIN PASSED AND WE WERE CALLED BY CTR AND ASKED, 'ACFT X, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?' WE EXPLAINED, TO FAK FOR THE ARR. CTR ASKED WHAT ALT ARE YOU GOING TO AND WE EXPLAINED FL280 AND REPEATED WHAT WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO DO. CTR SAID THAT WAS FOR SOMEONE ELSE, BUT EVERYBODY WAS STEPPING ON EVERYONE'S CALLS, SO 'WHAT ALT DO YOU WANT TO BE AT?' WE SAID FL280 WOULD WORK FINE AND REPEATED OUR INSTRUCTIONS AND OUR READBACK OF SAME. CTR SAID 'NO PROB, MAINTAIN FL280' AND SWITCHED US TO THE NEXT CTLR SECTOR. AFTER DISCUSSING THE SIT, I DECIDED TO CALL BACK TO THE PREVIOUS FREQ AND ASK HOW TO CALL THEM ON THE LAND LINE. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE AND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. WE SAID 'WE'RE HAPPY IF YOU'RE HAPPY.' THAT'S THE END OF THAT. I BELIEVE THAT CTR MISCALLED US, INTENDING TO CALL ACFT Y, AND THE RESPONSE WAS PARTIALLY STEPPED ON AS EVIDENCED BY THEIR LATER CALLING WITH THE SAME REQUEST. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT CTR WAS ACTING WELL IN ADVANCE OF A POTENTIAL CONFLICT AND IN FACT, AFTER THE ALT CHANGES, NO CONFLICT DEVELOPED AND NO FURTHER ACTION WAS NEEDED. IT WAS VERY BUSY AND ACTION WAS TAKEN SO FAR IN ADVANCE THAT ANY POTENTIAL CONFLICT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED A TIMELY CORRECTION. THESE THINGS HAPPEN AND THE SYS WORKED. THERE WERE NO TCASII TARGETS THROUGHOUT THE EVENT AND NO VECTORING OR ADDITIONAL ALT CHANGES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 579434: I CALLED BACK TO CTR LATER ON THEIR FREQ TO GET A TELEPHONE NUMBER TO DISCUSS THE DISCREPANCY AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NO DISCREPANCY, PROB, OR CONFLICT. 'DID I STILL WANT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER?' I SAID NO AND THEY SAID THAT WAS THE END OF IT.

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.