Narrative:

During a busy inbound push to ewr, there were 4 aircraft with similar sounding call signs, an aircraft with given clearance to descend and another aircraft read back the clearance. However, the readback was sloppy and sounded to me to have been read back by the correct aircraft. Pilots have to listen also. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated the incident occurred over woodstown VOR between a widebody transport and an large transport. Sep was reported as 1 latitude mi. Reporter stated he had 1 1/2 yrs as an fpl. C/a did not activate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR ISSUED DESCENT CLRNC TO AN ACFT AND ANOTHER ACFT READ BACK THE CLRNC. STANDARD SEPARATION WAS LOST WHEN THE WRONG ACFT DESCENDED.

Narrative: DURING A BUSY INBND PUSH TO EWR, THERE WERE 4 ACFT WITH SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS, AN ACFT WITH GIVEN CLRNC TO DSND AND ANOTHER ACFT READ BACK THE CLRNC. HOWEVER, THE READBACK WAS SLOPPY AND SOUNDED TO ME TO HAVE BEEN READ BACK BY THE CORRECT ACFT. PLTS HAVE TO LISTEN ALSO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED THE INCIDENT OCCURRED OVER WOODSTOWN VOR BTWN A WDB AND AN LGT. SEP WAS RPTED AS 1 LAT MI. RPTR STATED HE HAD 1 1/2 YRS AS AN FPL. C/A DID NOT ACTIVATE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.