Air carrier widebody transport accepted descent clearance for other flight with similar call sign.

Attributes
ACN	97081
Time
Date	198810
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : buj airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	97081
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Arriving dfw, flying the buj #2 arrival, cleared to descend and cross baton at 9000'. Regional approach was contacted and we were given a clearance to depart baton on a 260 degree magnetic heading. I noticed at this time the xmissions from approach were intermittent. Shortly after I received a broken transmission from approach for flight xy (our flight) to descend to 5000'. I acknowledged the clearance and advised approach that their transmission were broken. Before we could leave 9000' we heard a clearance for company bxy to descend to 5000'. At this point we delayed descent to confirm our clearance, however before we could call for confirmation we were cleared to descend to 8000'. The potential consequences involved in this situation are very serious and obvious. The 2 company flts with similar numbers scheduled close together into dfw. The intermittent xmissions and the failure of approach control to respond to a clearance accepted by another flight (if indeed this was the case) could contribute to a serious incident. I suggest one of the flts be renumbered. ATC should advise the similar numbered flts of their presence on the frequency, and all readbacks of clrncs be monitored closely. If the traffic is too heavy to accommodate this, there should be an immediate reduction of traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB ACCEPTED DESCENT CLRNC FOR OTHER FLT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGN.

Narrative: ARRIVING DFW, FLYING THE BUJ #2 ARR, CLRED TO DSND AND CROSS BATON AT 9000'. REGIONAL APCH WAS CONTACTED AND WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO DEPART BATON ON A 260 DEG MAGNETIC HDG. I NOTICED AT THIS TIME THE XMISSIONS FROM APCH WERE INTERMITTENT. SHORTLY AFTER I RECEIVED A BROKEN XMISSION FROM APCH FOR FLT XY (OUR FLT) TO DSND TO 5000'. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC AND ADVISED APCH THAT THEIR XMISSION WERE BROKEN. BEFORE WE COULD LEAVE 9000' WE HEARD A CLRNC FOR COMPANY BXY TO DSND TO 5000'. AT THIS POINT WE DELAYED DSCNT TO CONFIRM OUR CLRNC, HOWEVER BEFORE WE COULD CALL FOR CONFIRMATION WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 8000'. THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES INVOLVED IN THIS SITUATION ARE VERY SERIOUS AND OBVIOUS. THE 2 COMPANY FLTS WITH SIMILAR NUMBERS SCHEDULED CLOSE TOGETHER INTO DFW. THE INTERMITTENT XMISSIONS AND THE FAILURE OF APCH CTL TO RESPOND TO A CLRNC ACCEPTED BY ANOTHER FLT (IF INDEED THIS WAS THE CASE) COULD CONTRIBUTE TO A SERIOUS INCIDENT. I SUGGEST ONE OF THE FLTS BE RENUMBERED. ATC SHOULD ADVISE THE SIMILAR NUMBERED FLTS OF THEIR PRESENCE ON THE FREQ, AND ALL READBACKS OF CLRNCS BE MONITORED CLOSELY. IF THE TFC IS TOO HEAVY TO ACCOMMODATE THIS, THERE SHOULD BE AN IMMEDIATE REDUCTION OF TFC.

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.