ARTCC radar controller issued climb clearance to the wrong company aircraft and missed the readback that was heard by the intended company aircraft during readback.

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Attributes
ACN	128990
Time
Date	198911
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : psb
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zob
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 3300
ASRS Report	128990
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	128622
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure
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:

We were in cruise at 27,000' about 4-5 min prior to crossing psb when cleveland advised us that a company cfa would soon be on frequency (our call sign was company cea). About 5 mins after that we received a call from center telling us to climb to FL280. We acknowledged the call and made our climb. A few mins later center called us and asked us if we were climbing. I told him we were level at FL280. He then said in so many words that he had told company cfa to climb to FL280, not us. He then directed us to descend to FL190. About that time cfa came up and said he had heard the call also and thought he had told us to climb not them and that he heard us acknowledge whereas they did not. I have no way of knowing for sure whether the controller had directed us or company cfa to climb, however, I do know that only our airplane acknowledged. Obviously similar call signs can cause confusion for the guys in the sky, but in this case the person on the ground missed our response. I guess miscom can travel both ways.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR ISSUED CLIMB CLRNC TO THE WRONG COMPANY ACFT AND MISSED THE READBACK THAT WAS HEARD BY THE INTENDED COMPANY ACFT DURING READBACK.

Narrative: WE WERE IN CRUISE AT 27,000' ABOUT 4-5 MIN PRIOR TO XING PSB WHEN CLEVELAND ADVISED US THAT A COMPANY CFA WOULD SOON BE ON FREQ (OUR CALL SIGN WAS COMPANY CEA). ABOUT 5 MINS AFTER THAT WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM CENTER TELLING US TO CLIMB TO FL280. WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE CALL AND MADE OUR CLIMB. A FEW MINS LATER CENTER CALLED US AND ASKED US IF WE WERE CLIMBING. I TOLD HIM WE WERE LEVEL AT FL280. HE THEN SAID IN SO MANY WORDS THAT HE HAD TOLD COMPANY CFA TO CLIMB TO FL280, NOT US. HE THEN DIRECTED US TO DSND TO FL190. ABOUT THAT TIME CFA CAME UP AND SAID HE HAD HEARD THE CALL ALSO AND THOUGHT HE HAD TOLD US TO CLIMB NOT THEM AND THAT HE HEARD US ACKNOWLEDGE WHEREAS THEY DID NOT. I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING FOR SURE WHETHER THE CTLR HAD DIRECTED US OR COMPANY CFA TO CLIMB, HOWEVER, I DO KNOW THAT ONLY OUR AIRPLANE ACKNOWLEDGED. OBVIOUSLY SIMILAR CALL SIGNS CAN CAUSE CONFUSION FOR THE GUYS IN THE SKY, BUT IN THIS CASE THE PERSON ON THE GND MISSED OUR RESPONSE. I GUESS MISCOM CAN TRAVEL BOTH WAYS.

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.