Narrative:

While administering IOE for a captain candidate, on initial descent from our cruising altitude of FL270, we experienced an near midair collision with another aircraft, en route to orf from stl. A descent clearance was issued from FL270 to FL260 by ZDC. My captain-in-training, acting as PNF, acknowledged 'descend to flight level two-six-zero, air carrier X.' I verified this altitude and began my descent. At approximately FL265 our TCASII system issued a TA for a conflict at FL260. The command 'monitor vertical speed' was issued. At this point, I disconnected the autoplt to arrest our descent. Also, at this moment, ZDC asked us to verify we were level at FL270. After this transmission, ATC advised us to turn left, immediately, to 360 degrees (from our current heading of 115 degrees). I also issued a 'climb' command from our TCASII simultaneously. After complying with both ATC and the TCASII TA/RA advisory, I was left at approximately FL280, on a 030 degree heading. At this point, our TCASII system issued a 'clear of conflict' aural advisory. We attempted to verify with ZDC that we were level at FL280 and ask if at the current time, this was an acceptable altitude. A second attempt was made by my PNF to verify our new altitude of FL280 was acceptable with ZDC, to which we received no response. Our next instruction from ZDC was a 'right turn, cleared direct to harcum (hcm) VOR, descend and maintain FL250.' at this point I our flight, my PNF and I discussed and agreed that ZDC hade cleared us to descend from FL270 to FL260. This was read back by my PNF, and confirmed (or not corrected or challenged) by our controller. Briefly, over the radio, I asked him what had just happened. He (ATC) responded with another company flight's (number not given)descent clearance. This point, I strongly disagree with. I asked for and received the center's phone number. At the completion of our flight, I called and spoke with the on-duty supervisor. He indicated the supervisor on duty at the time of our incident had left and that I could call back the next day between the hours of XA00 and XH00. I gave him a brief summary of what had happened, from our point of view. When I asked him what the next step was, he indicated that this was 'information gathering only.' I called ZDC and was advised, after speaking with the supervisor, that a controller had made an error. His intention was to give that clearance to another company flight, and he mistakenly had given us the clearance to descend.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW TO ORF AT FL270 IS INSTRUCTED TO DSND BY ATC AND EXPERIENCED TCASII EVENT BECAUSE OF CTLR ACFT CALL SIGN IDENT ERROR.

Narrative: WHILE ADMINISTERING IOE FOR A CAPT CANDIDATE, ON INITIAL DSCNT FROM OUR CRUISING ALT OF FL270, WE EXPERIENCED AN NMAC WITH ANOTHER ACFT, ENRTE TO ORF FROM STL. A DSCNT CLRNC WAS ISSUED FROM FL270 TO FL260 BY ZDC. MY CAPT-IN-TRAINING, ACTING AS PNF, ACKNOWLEDGED 'DSND TO FLT LEVEL TWO-SIX-ZERO, ACR X.' I VERIFIED THIS ALT AND BEGAN MY DSCNT. AT APPROX FL265 OUR TCASII SYS ISSUED A TA FOR A CONFLICT AT FL260. THE COMMAND 'MONITOR VERT SPD' WAS ISSUED. AT THIS POINT, I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT TO ARREST OUR DSCNT. ALSO, AT THIS MOMENT, ZDC ASKED US TO VERIFY WE WERE LEVEL AT FL270. AFTER THIS XMISSION, ATC ADVISED US TO TURN L, IMMEDIATELY, TO 360 DEGS (FROM OUR CURRENT HDG OF 115 DEGS). I ALSO ISSUED A 'CLB' COMMAND FROM OUR TCASII SIMULTANEOUSLY. AFTER COMPLYING WITH BOTH ATC AND THE TCASII TA/RA ADVISORY, I WAS LEFT AT APPROX FL280, ON A 030 DEG HDG. AT THIS POINT, OUR TCASII SYS ISSUED A 'CLR OF CONFLICT' AURAL ADVISORY. WE ATTEMPTED TO VERIFY WITH ZDC THAT WE WERE LEVEL AT FL280 AND ASK IF AT THE CURRENT TIME, THIS WAS AN ACCEPTABLE ALT. A SECOND ATTEMPT WAS MADE BY MY PNF TO VERIFY OUR NEW ALT OF FL280 WAS ACCEPTABLE WITH ZDC, TO WHICH WE RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. OUR NEXT INSTRUCTION FROM ZDC WAS A 'R TURN, CLRED DIRECT TO HARCUM (HCM) VOR, DSND AND MAINTAIN FL250.' AT THIS POINT I OUR FLT, MY PNF AND I DISCUSSED AND AGREED THAT ZDC HADE CLRED US TO DSND FROM FL270 TO FL260. THIS WAS READ BACK BY MY PNF, AND CONFIRMED (OR NOT CORRECTED OR CHALLENGED) BY OUR CTLR. BRIEFLY, OVER THE RADIO, I ASKED HIM WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED. HE (ATC) RESPONDED WITH ANOTHER COMPANY FLT'S (NUMBER NOT GIVEN)DSCNT CLRNC. THIS POINT, I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH. I ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED THE CTR'S PHONE NUMBER. AT THE COMPLETION OF OUR FLT, I CALLED AND SPOKE WITH THE ON-DUTY SUPVR. HE INDICATED THE SUPVR ON DUTY AT THE TIME OF OUR INCIDENT HAD LEFT AND THAT I COULD CALL BACK THE NEXT DAY BTWN THE HRS OF XA00 AND XH00. I GAVE HIM A BRIEF SUMMARY OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED, FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW. WHEN I ASKED HIM WHAT THE NEXT STEP WAS, HE INDICATED THAT THIS WAS 'INFO GATHERING ONLY.' I CALLED ZDC AND WAS ADVISED, AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE SUPVR, THAT A CTLR HAD MADE AN ERROR. HIS INTENTION WAS TO GIVE THAT CLRNC TO ANOTHER COMPANY FLT, AND HE MISTAKENLY HAD GIVEN US THE CLRNC TO DSND.

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.