B757 flight crew accepts clearance meant for another aircraft. Similar a/north.

Attributes
ACN	330230
Time
Date	199603
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mia
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mia
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5200 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	330230
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 140
ASRS Report	330224
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on vectors for runway 27L ILS, when given clearance to 4000 ft. We acknowledged, and read back 'aad to 4000 ft.' during descent at about 7200 ft, the controller stated that we took someone else's clearance and to level at 7000 ft. We did. Then we told the controller that we read back 4000 ft and if there was a conflict. He said, 'there is no conflict and no problem.' as far as contributing factors, there was company commuter flight ada, company abd, and we believe a company 'AFD' all on the same frequency. We believe similar sounding call signs and controller overload contributed to this error. If somehow computerized flight plans would not allow similar numbered flight numbers at the same approach or departure time. This could reduce communication errors at critical phases of flight. Supplemental information from acn 330224: contributing factors may have been many similar aircraft call signs and controller overload. ATC had previously called us by an inaccurate number several times.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLC ACCEPTS CLRNC MEANT FOR ANOTHER ACFT. SIMILAR A/N.

Narrative: WE WERE ON VECTORS FOR RWY 27L ILS, WHEN GIVEN CLRNC TO 4000 FT. WE ACKNOWLEDGED, AND READ BACK 'AAD TO 4000 FT.' DURING DSCNT AT ABOUT 7200 FT, THE CTLR STATED THAT WE TOOK SOMEONE ELSE'S CLRNC AND TO LEVEL AT 7000 FT. WE DID. THEN WE TOLD THE CTLR THAT WE READ BACK 4000 FT AND IF THERE WAS A CONFLICT. HE SAID, 'THERE IS NO CONFLICT AND NO PROB.' AS FAR AS CONTRIBUTING FACTORS, THERE WAS COMPANY COMMUTER FLT ADA, COMPANY ABD, AND WE BELIEVE A COMPANY 'AFD' ALL ON THE SAME FREQ. WE BELIEVE SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS AND CTLR OVERLOAD CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ERROR. IF SOMEHOW COMPUTERIZED FLT PLANS WOULD NOT ALLOW SIMILAR NUMBERED FLT NUMBERS AT THE SAME APCH OR DEP TIME. THIS COULD REDUCE COM ERRORS AT CRITICAL PHASES OF FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 330224: CONTRIBUTING FACTORS MAY HAVE BEEN MANY SIMILAR ACFT CALL SIGNS AND CTLR OVERLOAD. ATC HAD PREVIOUSLY CALLED US BY AN INACCURATE NUMBER SEVERAL 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.