Approach controller issued clearance to wrong aircraft. Operational deviation.

Attributes
ACN	153336
Time
Date	199008
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 9300 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	153336
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Air carrier X on approach control being given vectors. We were told to descend to 7000' and upon reaching slow to 210 KTS we were at 7000' at 210 KTS just north of the airport on a downwind leg. When the controller tells us to climb to 10000'. This seemed unusual but we started a climb and the controller came back with an 'immediate turn to 360 degree for traffic.' we immediately turned to 360 and were climbing at 2500 FPM. The controller said we had traffic at 9000' and we must have taken someone else's clearance. There were two aircraft behind us with similar call signs. Ours was XX4 and the following aircraft were XY4 and YY4. We were vectored to a landing west/O further incident. We never saw the conflicting traffic. After landing I talked to approach control supervisor and asked him to review the tapes. He did and told me the controller had transposed my flight number for an aircraft behind me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR ISSUED CLRNC TO WRONG ACFT. OPDEV.

Narrative: ACR X ON APCH CTL BEING GIVEN VECTORS. WE WERE TOLD TO DSND TO 7000' AND UPON REACHING SLOW TO 210 KTS WE WERE AT 7000' AT 210 KTS JUST N OF THE ARPT ON A DOWNWIND LEG. WHEN THE CTLR TELLS US TO CLB TO 10000'. THIS SEEMED UNUSUAL BUT WE STARTED A CLB AND THE CTLR CAME BACK WITH AN 'IMMEDIATE TURN TO 360 DEG FOR TFC.' WE IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO 360 AND WERE CLBING AT 2500 FPM. THE CTLR SAID WE HAD TFC AT 9000' AND WE MUST HAVE TAKEN SOMEONE ELSE'S CLRNC. THERE WERE TWO ACFT BEHIND US WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. OURS WAS XX4 AND THE FOLLOWING ACFT WERE XY4 AND YY4. WE WERE VECTORED TO A LNDG W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. WE NEVER SAW THE CONFLICTING TFC. AFTER LNDG I TALKED TO APCH CTL SUPVR AND ASKED HIM TO REVIEW THE TAPES. HE DID AND TOLD ME THE CTLR HAD TRANSPOSED MY FLT NUMBER FOR AN ACFT BEHIND ME.

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.