Crew of B757 may have taken another flight's clearance and descended to FL330 from FL360 in ZMA airs...

Attributes
ACN	702908
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : remis
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	702908
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	702555
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

After departing mia we received vectors well south to avoid thunderstorms. With ZMA we received a clearance to climb to FL300 and to expedite climb. We complied. We later received a clearance to expedite climb to our final cruise altitude of FL360. As we were climbing to FL360 the controller advised the frequency that mia and fll were both closed to arrs due to thunderstorms and became very busy with holding clrncs. When we arrived at FL360 we were given a descent to FL330. The captain read back the clearance and asked to confirm it as it was unusual. The controller confirmed the clearance. The captain read back the clearance and commented 'sure glad we hurried to FL360.' the controller said say again. Rather than repeat the comment the captain read back the descent clearance again and I began the descent. Upon reaching FL330 we were given a clearance to climb to FL360. The captain read back the clearance to FL360 and asked what the descent had been for. The controller said that we must have taken someone else's clearance. There were no traffic issues. The captain and I both heard the clrncs and all of them were acknowledged.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CREW OF B757 MAY HAVE TAKEN ANOTHER FLT'S CLRNC AND DSNDED TO FL330 FROM FL360 IN ZMA AIRSPACE.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING MIA WE RECEIVED VECTORS WELL S TO AVOID TSTMS. WITH ZMA WE RECEIVED A CLRNC TO CLB TO FL300 AND TO EXPEDITE CLB. WE COMPLIED. WE LATER RECEIVED A CLRNC TO EXPEDITE CLB TO OUR FINAL CRUISE ALT OF FL360. AS WE WERE CLBING TO FL360 THE CTLR ADVISED THE FREQ THAT MIA AND FLL WERE BOTH CLOSED TO ARRS DUE TO TSTMS AND BECAME VERY BUSY WITH HOLDING CLRNCS. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT FL360 WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT TO FL330. THE CAPT READ BACK THE CLRNC AND ASKED TO CONFIRM IT AS IT WAS UNUSUAL. THE CTLR CONFIRMED THE CLRNC. THE CAPT READ BACK THE CLRNC AND COMMENTED 'SURE GLAD WE HURRIED TO FL360.' THE CTLR SAID SAY AGAIN. RATHER THAN REPEAT THE COMMENT THE CAPT READ BACK THE DSCNT CLRNC AGAIN AND I BEGAN THE DSCNT. UPON REACHING FL330 WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO CLB TO FL360. THE CAPT READ BACK THE CLRNC TO FL360 AND ASKED WHAT THE DSCNT HAD BEEN FOR. THE CTLR SAID THAT WE MUST HAVE TAKEN SOMEONE ELSE'S CLRNC. THERE WERE NO TFC ISSUES. THE CAPT AND I BOTH HEARD THE CLRNCS AND ALL OF THEM WERE ACKNOWLEDGED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

Crew of B757 may have taken another flight's clearance and descended to FL330 from FL360 in ZMA airspace.