Air carrier X possible response to wrong call sign.

Attributes
ACN	305790
Time
Date	199505
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak tower : prg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 6400
ASRS Report	305790
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Air carrier X on a vector to the sjc airport heading 120 degrees at 6000 ft the controller gave us a left turn 060 degrees, descend to 4000 ft. We were following company traffic 6 mi ahead with additional cessna traffic at 5000 ft. After starting descent and heading change, the controller questioned us to heading and altitude. At that time the controller gave us cessna traffic and we had visual contact. After reaching 4000 ft we were given a climb to 4500 ft, fly heading 120 degrees. After a few mins, the company aircraft told the controller that they also heard our clearance of heading 060 degrees, descend 4000 ft. I believe the controller used the wrong call sign for that clearance. He also didn't catch the mistake when we read it back.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X POSSIBLE RESPONSE TO WRONG CALL SIGN.

Narrative: ACR X ON A VECTOR TO THE SJC ARPT HDG 120 DEGS AT 6000 FT THE CTLR GAVE US A L TURN 060 DEGS, DSND TO 4000 FT. WE WERE FOLLOWING COMPANY TFC 6 MI AHEAD WITH ADDITIONAL CESSNA TFC AT 5000 FT. AFTER STARTING DSCNT AND HDG CHANGE, THE CTLR QUESTIONED US TO HDG AND ALT. AT THAT TIME THE CTLR GAVE US CESSNA TFC AND WE HAD VISUAL CONTACT. AFTER REACHING 4000 FT WE WERE GIVEN A CLB TO 4500 FT, FLY HDG 120 DEGS. AFTER A FEW MINS, THE COMPANY ACFT TOLD THE CTLR THAT THEY ALSO HEARD OUR CLRNC OF HDG 060 DEGS, DSND 4000 FT. I BELIEVE THE CTLR USED THE WRONG CALL SIGN FOR THAT CLRNC. HE ALSO DIDN'T CATCH THE MISTAKE WHEN WE READ IT BACK.

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.