A flight crew was given a descent clearance that was intended for another aircraft with a similar sounding call sign. The controller did not recognize that there was a discrepancy in call signs, and was looking at, and controling the other aircraft, but addressing the reporting flight crew.

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Attributes
ACN	336504
Time
Date	199605
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tvt
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23900 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zid
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 18500 flight time type : 3400
ASRS Report	336504
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	336493
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Operational Deviation

Narrative:

We were given a descent to FL240 and then a descent to 16000 ft, from FL260. Each time we acknowledged with our full call sign and flight #xxcd. The center controller said he mistook us for another air carrier flight #xfcd, and just didn't catch that it was us. Without TCASII and an alert crew we would have hit a commuter turboprop at FL230, directly in our flight path. The controller said he only had a primary target on the scope, but he was looking at the other flight. Supplemental information from acn 336493: at FL245 we got a TA. The captain got a visual out his window, and shortly thereafter we had an RA, 'do not descend.' leveled at FL239, climbed back up to FL240. Advised center and he told us we were on the wrong frequency. We had been with him for 10 mins. The captain called on ground. ATC pulled the tapes and the controller had thought we were another air carrier flight. He was looking at and controling a different aircraft in his mind, but never caught our call sign.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FLC WAS GIVEN A DSCNT CLRNC THAT WAS INTENDED FOR ANOTHER ACFT WITH A SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN. THE CTLR DID NOT RECOGNIZE THAT THERE WAS A DISCREPANCY IN CALL SIGNS, AND WAS LOOKING AT, AND CTLING THE OTHER ACFT, BUT ADDRESSING THE RPTING FLC.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT TO FL240 AND THEN A DSCNT TO 16000 FT, FROM FL260. EACH TIME WE ACKNOWLEDGED WITH OUR FULL CALL SIGN AND FLT #XXCD. THE CTR CTLR SAID HE MISTOOK US FOR ANOTHER ACR FLT #XFCD, AND JUST DIDN'T CATCH THAT IT WAS US. WITHOUT TCASII AND AN ALERT CREW WE WOULD HAVE HIT A COMMUTER TURBOPROP AT FL230, DIRECTLY IN OUR FLT PATH. THE CTLR SAID HE ONLY HAD A PRIMARY TARGET ON THE SCOPE, BUT HE WAS LOOKING AT THE OTHER FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 336493: AT FL245 WE GOT A TA. THE CAPT GOT A VISUAL OUT HIS WINDOW, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE HAD AN RA, 'DO NOT DSND.' LEVELED AT FL239, CLBED BACK UP TO FL240. ADVISED CTR AND HE TOLD US WE WERE ON THE WRONG FREQ. WE HAD BEEN WITH HIM FOR 10 MINS. THE CAPT CALLED ON GND. ATC PULLED THE TAPES AND THE CTLR HAD THOUGHT WE WERE ANOTHER ACR FLT. HE WAS LOOKING AT AND CTLING A DIFFERENT ACFT IN HIS MIND, BUT NEVER CAUGHT OUR CALL SIGN.

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.