Narrative:

Flight from pop - puerto plata dominican republic to new york jfk at FL370. Checked in with washington center twice before acknowledgement. Seconds later washington center cleared our flight to cross a point 40 northeast of the sie VOR at FL190. Clearance read back and our airline and flight number clearly included but no acknowledgement by washington center which is common these days and almost the norm. Descent started and after descending a few thousand ft washington center called and said we must have taken the descent clearance that was meant for another aircraft of same company. Washington center then reclred our flight again with the same clearance, and also gave the other aircraft the same clearance. The first officer and I are quite sure washington center used our flight number in the first clearance, but no matter, a human error was made. There was a telephone failure which caused the loss of new york center for 4 or 5 hours. We in cockpit were quite busy with holding clearance and messages about the problem and possible need to divert to another airport. Washington center was probably busy developing and coordinating alternate plans and rtes for aircraft inbound to new york. Although flight conditions were clear and there were very few aircraft (no departure from jfk) and no near collision this error should not have happened. Both ATC controllers and pilots must listen more carefully to clrncs and readbacks. Controllers must acknowledge all calls and in particular acknowledge readback of clrncs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF 2 MAN WDB ALLEGEDLY TOOK DSCNT CLRNC FROM ZDC MEANT FOR ANOTHER SAME COMPANY FLT.

Narrative: FLT FROM POP - PUERTO PLATA DOMINICAN REPUBLIC TO NEW YORK JFK AT FL370. CHKED IN WITH WASHINGTON CENTER TWICE BEFORE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. SECONDS LATER WASHINGTON CENTER CLRED OUR FLT TO CROSS A POINT 40 NE OF THE SIE VOR AT FL190. CLRNC READ BACK AND OUR AIRLINE AND FLT NUMBER CLRLY INCLUDED BUT NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BY WASHINGTON CENTER WHICH IS COMMON THESE DAYS AND ALMOST THE NORM. DSCNT STARTED AND AFTER DSNDING A FEW THOUSAND FT WASHINGTON CENTER CALLED AND SAID WE MUST HAVE TAKEN THE DSCNT CLRNC THAT WAS MEANT FOR ANOTHER ACFT OF SAME COMPANY. WASHINGTON CENTER THEN RECLRED OUR FLT AGAIN WITH THE SAME CLRNC, AND ALSO GAVE THE OTHER ACFT THE SAME CLRNC. THE FO AND I ARE QUITE SURE WASHINGTON CENTER USED OUR FLT NUMBER IN THE FIRST CLRNC, BUT NO MATTER, A HUMAN ERROR WAS MADE. THERE WAS A TELEPHONE FAILURE WHICH CAUSED THE LOSS OF NEW YORK CENTER FOR 4 OR 5 HRS. WE IN COCKPIT WERE QUITE BUSY WITH HOLDING CLRNC AND MESSAGES ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND POSSIBLE NEED TO DIVERT TO ANOTHER ARPT. WASHINGTON CENTER WAS PROBABLY BUSY DEVELOPING AND COORDINATING ALTERNATE PLANS AND RTES FOR ACFT INBOUND TO NEW YORK. ALTHOUGH FLT CONDITIONS WERE CLR AND THERE WERE VERY FEW ACFT (NO DEP FROM JFK) AND NO NEAR COLLISION THIS ERROR SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. BOTH ATC CTLRS AND PLTS MUST LISTEN MORE CAREFULLY TO CLRNCS AND READBACKS. CTLRS MUST ACKNOWLEDGE ALL CALLS AND IN PARTICULAR ACKNOWLEDGE READBACK OF CLRNCS.

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.