Flight crew of a B727 descended from assigned cruising altitude when they mistakenly responded to a clearance for another aircraft with a similar sounding call sign.

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Attributes
ACN	388167
Time
Date	199712
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vxv
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 32500 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 275
ASRS Report	388167
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	388000
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flying over vxv VOR at FL330, ZTL requested we slow to 250 KTS. Approximately 30 seconds later center cleared us pilot discretion to FL240. We acknowledged and started descent. We then heard ZTL clear another air carrier to FL240. I immediately asked center about our descent clearance, suspecting he gave it to the wrong airplane. Center came back and told us to maintain FL330, slow to 250 KTS. We were currently passing FL326, and immediately climbed back up to FL330. No conflict occurred with any other aircraft. Our call sign was air carrier X, and apparently ZTL confused us with arc Y. It should be standard policy by ATC to notify aircraft when call signs are similar.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B727 DSNDED FROM ASSIGNED CRUISING ALT WHEN THEY MISTAKENLY RESPONDED TO A CLRNC FOR ANOTHER ACFT WITH A SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN.

Narrative: FLYING OVER VXV VOR AT FL330, ZTL REQUESTED WE SLOW TO 250 KTS. APPROX 30 SECONDS LATER CTR CLRED US PLT DISCRETION TO FL240. WE ACKNOWLEDGED AND STARTED DSCNT. WE THEN HEARD ZTL CLR ANOTHER ACR TO FL240. I IMMEDIATELY ASKED CTR ABOUT OUR DSCNT CLRNC, SUSPECTING HE GAVE IT TO THE WRONG AIRPLANE. CTR CAME BACK AND TOLD US TO MAINTAIN FL330, SLOW TO 250 KTS. WE WERE CURRENTLY PASSING FL326, AND IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK UP TO FL330. NO CONFLICT OCCURRED WITH ANY OTHER ACFT. OUR CALL SIGN WAS ACR X, AND APPARENTLY ZTL CONFUSED US WITH ARC Y. IT SHOULD BE STANDARD POLICY BY ATC TO NOTIFY ACFT WHEN CALL SIGNS ARE SIMILAR.

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.