A light transport commuter crew answered to the wrong flight number and descended without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	207318
Time
Date	199204
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : syr
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 10000
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	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : syr
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 4000
ASRS Report	207318
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were 20 to 30 mi east of syracuse, ny. I had my first officer place a request for 6000 ft. We were at 10000 ft. A short time later, the controller cleared us to 7000 ft. There was some frequency congestion on approach or the company frequency and the first officer did not respond. I then responded to the controller reading back the clearance. A short time later, the controller came on frequency and told us we were not cleared to descend and to climb back to 10000. At that time I noticed my communication selector was on #2 communication. The previous flight we had flown was abc. We had an aircraft swap in albany, ny. We picked up flight def. At the time of the incident, abc was on syracuse approach. We were also 10 hours into an 11 1/2 hour duty day. The third day of a 3 day trip with 2 early check-INS. We were used to late check-in times.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LTT COMMUTER CREW ANSWERED TO THE WRONG FLT NUMBER AND DSNDED WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE 20 TO 30 MI E OF SYRACUSE, NY. I HAD MY FO PLACE A REQUEST FOR 6000 FT. WE WERE AT 10000 FT. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE CTLR CLRED US TO 7000 FT. THERE WAS SOME FREQ CONGESTION ON APCH OR THE COMPANY FREQ AND THE FO DID NOT RESPOND. I THEN RESPONDED TO THE CTLR READING BACK THE CLRNC. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE CTLR CAME ON FREQ AND TOLD US WE WERE NOT CLRED TO DSND AND TO CLB BACK TO 10000. AT THAT TIME I NOTICED MY COM SELECTOR WAS ON #2 COM. THE PREVIOUS FLT WE HAD FLOWN WAS ABC. WE HAD AN ACFT SWAP IN ALBANY, NY. WE PICKED UP FLT DEF. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, ABC WAS ON SYRACUSE APCH. WE WERE ALSO 10 HRS INTO AN 11 1/2 HR DUTY DAY. THE THIRD DAY OF A 3 DAY TRIP WITH 2 EARLY CHK-INS. WE WERE USED TO LATE CHK-IN TIMES.

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.