Air carrier takes clearance of aircraft with similar call sign and leaves assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	451825
Time
Date	199910
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cvg.airport
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Route In Use	arrival star : cince3
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 103 flight time total : 2880 flight time type : 465
ASRS Report	451825
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

As we were cruising at 8000 ft on the 'cince three arrival,' we were told to descend to 7000 ft. Upon reaching 7000 ft, ATC requested a confirmation of our altitude. When we replied that we were at 7000 ft, ATC informed us that the clearance to descend to 7000 ft was for another aircraft with a similar call sign. The event could've been avoided if ATC had warned us of another aircraft on the same frequency with a similar call sign.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR TAKES CLRNC OF ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGN AND LEAVES ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: AS WE WERE CRUISING AT 8000 FT ON THE 'CINCE THREE ARR,' WE WERE TOLD TO DSND TO 7000 FT. UPON REACHING 7000 FT, ATC REQUESTED A CONFIRMATION OF OUR ALT. WHEN WE REPLIED THAT WE WERE AT 7000 FT, ATC INFORMED US THAT THE CLRNC TO DSND TO 7000 FT WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN. THE EVENT COULD'VE BEEN AVOIDED IF ATC HAD WARNED US OF ANOTHER ACFT ON THE SAME FREQ WITH A SIMILAR 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.