Narrative:

We were flying the boids 4 arrival into dfw. Our call sign was XY254 there was also a WXZ664 ahead of us on frequency. The center controller told WXZ664 to cross 50 mi west of bpr at FL240, WXZ664 responded. Now, in retrospect, he then told XY254 to do the same, but WXZ664 answered the transmission for us and said 'roger.' I wasn't sure at the time if that call had been for us but I didn't question the controller (my mistake). I asked the captain if that call was for us but he said 'no, that was for WXZ664.' at 67 DME out from bpr, the controller said 'XY254 start your descent.' as I keyed the microphone to reply, the other aircraft again took the call, replying 'WXZ664 is in a descent.' I immediately queried the controllers, and told him we (XY254) had no descent clearance. The controller then cleared us to FL240. We immediately put the aircraft into a maximum rate descent, making the crossing restriction, barely. On the next frequency, the controller asked us if we could make the rhome intersection at 9000 ft. We replied that we could if we could keep our speed up in the descent. Center approved the speed request, but ended up vectoring us off the arrival because our increased speed encroached on the aircraft on the arrival in front of us. (I can only guess that the aircraft in front of us was WXZ664.) obviously, the similar call signs and lack of controller confirmation of who was reading back clrncs, as well as my lack of questioning the controller and the pilot of WXZ664 use of nonstandard readback technique all contributed to this encounter.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPLY TO WRONG CALL SIGN.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING THE BOIDS 4 ARR INTO DFW. OUR CALL SIGN WAS XY254 THERE WAS ALSO A WXZ664 AHEAD OF US ON FREQ. THE CTR CTLR TOLD WXZ664 TO CROSS 50 MI W OF BPR AT FL240, WXZ664 RESPONDED. NOW, IN RETROSPECT, HE THEN TOLD XY254 TO DO THE SAME, BUT WXZ664 ANSWERED THE XMISSION FOR US AND SAID 'ROGER.' I WASN'T SURE AT THE TIME IF THAT CALL HAD BEEN FOR US BUT I DIDN'T QUESTION THE CTLR (MY MISTAKE). I ASKED THE CAPT IF THAT CALL WAS FOR US BUT HE SAID 'NO, THAT WAS FOR WXZ664.' AT 67 DME OUT FROM BPR, THE CTLR SAID 'XY254 START YOUR DSCNT.' AS I KEYED THE MICROPHONE TO REPLY, THE OTHER ACFT AGAIN TOOK THE CALL, REPLYING 'WXZ664 IS IN A DSCNT.' I IMMEDIATELY QUERIED THE CTLRS, AND TOLD HIM WE (XY254) HAD NO DSCNT CLRNC. THE CTLR THEN CLRED US TO FL240. WE IMMEDIATELY PUT THE ACFT INTO A MAX RATE DSCNT, MAKING THE XING RESTRICTION, BARELY. ON THE NEXT FREQ, THE CTLR ASKED US IF WE COULD MAKE THE RHOME INTXN AT 9000 FT. WE REPLIED THAT WE COULD IF WE COULD KEEP OUR SPD UP IN THE DSCNT. CTR APPROVED THE SPD REQUEST, BUT ENDED UP VECTORING US OFF THE ARR BECAUSE OUR INCREASED SPD ENCROACHED ON THE ACFT ON THE ARR IN FRONT OF US. (I CAN ONLY GUESS THAT THE ACFT IN FRONT OF US WAS WXZ664.) OBVIOUSLY, THE SIMILAR CALL SIGNS AND LACK OF CTLR CONFIRMATION OF WHO WAS READING BACK CLRNCS, AS WELL AS MY LACK OF QUESTIONING THE CTLR AND THE PLT OF WXZ664 USE OF NONSTANDARD READBACK TECHNIQUE ALL CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ENCOUNTER.

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.