Air carrier asked to descend from FL370 to FL340 quickly, but clearance was apparently meant for another company aircraft and controller used the wrong call sign.

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Attributes
ACN	124187
Time
Date	198909
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	124187
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Proceeding efd direct sdf via direct pxv. Controller said 'I need you at FL330 in 4 min'. We replied 'out of 370 for 330'. I punched the clock and descended. We were at FL330 in 2 min 10 second. At 2 min 20 second, center 'say altitude'. We replied 'level 330'. Center 'that altitude was for another company, standby'. There was a pause approximately 1 min when a new controller came on and said 'maintain 330'. There was another flight flying. He was cleared to FL330 and was in a slow descent. The crew on that flight said the center controller said to my flight 'I need you at FL330 in 4 min' and heard us reply out of altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ASKED TO DESCEND FROM FL370 TO FL340 QUICKLY, BUT CLRNC WAS APPARENTLY MEANT FOR ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT AND CTLR USED THE WRONG CALL SIGN.

Narrative: PROCEEDING EFD DIRECT SDF VIA DIRECT PXV. CTLR SAID 'I NEED YOU AT FL330 IN 4 MIN'. WE REPLIED 'OUT OF 370 FOR 330'. I PUNCHED THE CLOCK AND DESCENDED. WE WERE AT FL330 IN 2 MIN 10 SEC. AT 2 MIN 20 SEC, CENTER 'SAY ALT'. WE REPLIED 'LEVEL 330'. CENTER 'THAT ALT WAS FOR ANOTHER COMPANY, STANDBY'. THERE WAS A PAUSE APPROX 1 MIN WHEN A NEW CTLR CAME ON AND SAID 'MAINTAIN 330'. THERE WAS ANOTHER FLT FLYING. HE WAS CLRED TO FL330 AND WAS IN A SLOW DSCNT. THE CREW ON THAT FLT SAID THE CENTER CTLR SAID TO MY FLT 'I NEED YOU AT FL330 IN 4 MIN' AND HEARD US REPLY OUT OF ALT.

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.