Controller issued descent clearance to wrong aircraft. Same company similar numbers.

Attributes
ACN	194417
Time
Date	199111
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : odf
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : ztl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 85 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	194417
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were handed off to ZTL (134.8) en route to atlanta from charlotte, our call sign was 'air carrier X.' after contacting ZTL we were given a descent from 11000 ft to 9000 ft. Descending through 10000 ft, center asked, 'air carrier X are you on the frequency?' our reply was 'affirmative, you gave us a clearance to 9000 ft.' center then stated that the descent was for air carrier Y, not us. We were then instructed to continue descent to 9000 ft. After approximately 5 mins we then heard center give air carrier Y a descent clearance from 11000 to 9000 ft, which they acknowledged. Our initial reaction was that we had accepted a clearance for another aircraft, however after telephoning ZTL it appears that this was a controller error. Regardless, this incident would not have occurred if our company had not used similar call signs for aircraft on the same frequency, same direction of flight and at the same time of day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR ISSUED DSCNT CLRNC TO WRONG ACFT. SAME COMPANY SIMILAR NUMBERS.

Narrative: WE WERE HANDED OFF TO ZTL (134.8) ENRTE TO ATLANTA FROM CHARLOTTE, OUR CALL SIGN WAS 'ACR X.' AFTER CONTACTING ZTL WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT FROM 11000 FT TO 9000 FT. DSNDING THROUGH 10000 FT, CENTER ASKED, 'ACR X ARE YOU ON THE FREQ?' OUR REPLY WAS 'AFFIRMATIVE, YOU GAVE US A CLRNC TO 9000 FT.' CENTER THEN STATED THAT THE DSCNT WAS FOR ACR Y, NOT US. WE WERE THEN INSTRUCTED TO CONTINUE DSCNT TO 9000 FT. AFTER APPROX 5 MINS WE THEN HEARD CENTER GIVE ACR Y A DSCNT CLRNC FROM 11000 TO 9000 FT, WHICH THEY ACKNOWLEDGED. OUR INITIAL REACTION WAS THAT WE HAD ACCEPTED A CLRNC FOR ANOTHER ACFT, HOWEVER AFTER TELEPHONING ZTL IT APPEARS THAT THIS WAS A CTLR ERROR. REGARDLESS, THIS INCIDENT WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IF OUR COMPANY HAD NOT USED SIMILAR CALL SIGNS FOR ACFT ON THE SAME FREQ, SAME DIRECTION OF FLT AND AT THE SAME TIME OF DAY.

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.