ZID controller described a confused four digit; same company; similar call sign event; resulting in ...

Narrative:

Air carrier abcd was handed off to me at the loz sector from the rbl (84) sector descending from FL280 to FL240. Air carrier adad called on my frequency leaving FL280 for FL240. Since I did not have a hand off for air carrier adad I found out that he should be on sector 82 and should be level at FL280. I called sector 82 and told him air carrier adad was on me and was descending to FL240 and what altitude they wanted me to stop him at. They said FL260 and put him on them; which I did. We later found out that sector 84 tried to switch air carrier adad to sector 82 but air carrier abcd took the frequency change. Then sector 84 descended air carrier abcd to FL240; but air carrier adad took the descent. Then sector 84 tried to switch air carrier abcd to the loz frequency but air carrier adad took the frequency. That is when I noticed the deviation and corrected it as quickly as possible. Recommendation; advise aircraft of similar sounding call signs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZID Controller described a confused four digit; same company; similar call sign event; resulting in the wrong aircraft accepting a descent and entering airspace without appropriate coordination.

Narrative: Air Carrier ABCD was handed off to me at the LOZ sector from the RBL (84) sector descending from FL280 to FL240. Air Carrier ADAD called on my frequency leaving FL280 for FL240. Since I did not have a hand off for Air Carrier ADAD I found out that he should be on Sector 82 and should be level at FL280. I called Sector 82 and told him Air Carrier ADAD was on me and was descending to FL240 and what altitude they wanted me to stop him at. They said FL260 and put him on them; which I did. We later found out that Sector 84 tried to switch Air Carrier ADAD to Sector 82 but Air Carrier ABCD took the frequency change. Then Sector 84 descended Air Carrier ABCD to FL240; but Air Carrier ADAD took the descent. Then Sector 84 tried to switch Air Carrier ABCD to the LOZ frequency but Air Carrier ADAD took the frequency. That is when I noticed the deviation and corrected it as quickly as possible. Recommendation; advise aircraft of similar sounding call signs.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	872141
Time
Date	201002
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	ZID.ARTCC
State Reference	IN
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

ZID controller described a confused four digit; same company; similar call sign event; resulting in the wrong aircraft accepting a descent and entering airspace without appropriate coordination.