ARTCC issued clearance to wrong aircraft and corrected the error after the aircraft had descended 70...

Attributes
ACN	86625
Time
Date	198804
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	86625
Person 2
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Was told to descend to FL240 by center. We were approximately 150 mi from phx and such a descent is very early in a normal profile. I told first officer to question, or repeat, which abq center did. We then began our descent from FL350, and passing FL280 were asked what our altitude was and told to level immediately at FL290. Center said clearance was for another company aircraft and not us. They also said not to worry about it, just a little mix up--ha! I guess I should have questioned the early descent more, but once should have been enough.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC ISSUED CLRNC TO WRONG ACFT AND CORRECTED THE ERROR AFTER THE ACFT HAD DESCENDED 7000'.

Narrative: WAS TOLD TO DSND TO FL240 BY CENTER. WE WERE APPROX 150 MI FROM PHX AND SUCH A DSCNT IS VERY EARLY IN A NORMAL PROFILE. I TOLD F/O TO QUESTION, OR REPEAT, WHICH ABQ CENTER DID. WE THEN BEGAN OUR DSCNT FROM FL350, AND PASSING FL280 WERE ASKED WHAT OUR ALT WAS AND TOLD TO LEVEL IMMEDIATELY AT FL290. CENTER SAID CLRNC WAS FOR ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT AND NOT US. THEY ALSO SAID NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT, JUST A LITTLE MIX UP--HA! I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED THE EARLY DSCNT MORE, BUT ONCE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.

ARTCC issued clearance to wrong aircraft and corrected the error after the aircraft had descended 7000'.