Narrative:

We were on the sinca arrival into atl. It was during a rush hour and there were many aircraft on our frequency--3 or 4 with a # very similar to ours. A descent clearance was issued to what we thought was our flight #. We responded with a readback of the clearance and our flight #. The controller never challenged or questioned our readback of our flight #, so we could only assume we were correct. The WX was clear and we did not see any conflicting traffic, nor did the controller report any to us. The descent clearance issued that we answered for was in the area that the descent clearance is normally issued for this arrival. 3 things I think could help alleviate this recurring problem are: 1) continued emphasis on controller's listening to readbacks. 2) airlines avoiding similar flight #'south into the same area at the same time; eg, xx, xy, yx, etc. 3) on the controller's radar, in the future, program into the computer program colors for the aircraft identify tags; eg, white for level, yellow for descent of more than 800 FPM for 40 seconds, and green for climb of more than 600 FPM for 35 seconds.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POSSIBLE READBACK OF CLRNC INTENDED FOR ANOTHER FLT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGN.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE SINCA ARR INTO ATL. IT WAS DURING A RUSH HR AND THERE WERE MANY ACFT ON OUR FREQ--3 OR 4 WITH A # VERY SIMILAR TO OURS. A DSCNT CLRNC WAS ISSUED TO WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS OUR FLT #. WE RESPONDED WITH A READBACK OF THE CLRNC AND OUR FLT #. THE CTLR NEVER CHALLENGED OR QUESTIONED OUR READBACK OF OUR FLT #, SO WE COULD ONLY ASSUME WE WERE CORRECT. THE WX WAS CLEAR AND WE DID NOT SEE ANY CONFLICTING TFC, NOR DID THE CTLR RPT ANY TO US. THE DSCNT CLRNC ISSUED THAT WE ANSWERED FOR WAS IN THE AREA THAT THE DSCNT CLRNC IS NORMALLY ISSUED FOR THIS ARR. 3 THINGS I THINK COULD HELP ALLEVIATE THIS RECURRING PROB ARE: 1) CONTINUED EMPHASIS ON CTLR'S LISTENING TO READBACKS. 2) AIRLINES AVOIDING SIMILAR FLT #'S INTO THE SAME AREA AT THE SAME TIME; EG, XX, XY, YX, ETC. 3) ON THE CTLR'S RADAR, IN THE FUTURE, PROGRAM INTO THE COMPUTER PROGRAM COLORS FOR THE ACFT IDENT TAGS; EG, WHITE FOR LEVEL, YELLOW FOR DSCNT OF MORE THAN 800 FPM FOR 40 SECS, AND GREEN FOR CLB OF MORE THAN 600 FPM FOR 35 SECS.

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.