DH8 and same air carrier had similar call signs. Controller issued clearance to wrong aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	422052
Time
Date	199812
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dpk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 11050 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	422052
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On the bouno 3 arrival to white plains, ny, crossed gweny intersection at 11000 ft. As air carrier AAAA same air carrier AAAB also going to white plains, ny, was ahead of us. ATC cleared 'air carrier AAAA to bridgeport' (bdr) we turned to bridgeport. Several mins later ATC called and said bdr call was for same air carrier AAAB. We read back the bdr clearance. Company said they were not given direct bridgeport. Controller confusion with similar call signs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DH8 AND SAME ACR HAD SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. CTLR ISSUED CLRNC TO WRONG ACFT.

Narrative: ON THE BOUNO 3 ARR TO WHITE PLAINS, NY, CROSSED GWENY INTXN AT 11000 FT. AS ACR AAAA SAME ACR AAAB ALSO GOING TO WHITE PLAINS, NY, WAS AHEAD OF US. ATC CLRED 'ACR AAAA TO BRIDGEPORT' (BDR) WE TURNED TO BRIDGEPORT. SEVERAL MINS LATER ATC CALLED AND SAID BDR CALL WAS FOR SAME ACR AAAB. WE READ BACK THE BDR CLRNC. COMPANY SAID THEY WERE NOT GIVEN DIRECT BRIDGEPORT. CTLR CONFUSION WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS.

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.