Flight crew of an airbus A320 took a descent clearance intended for another company aircraft with a similar sounding call sign resulting in ARTCC controller intervention to stop their descent.

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Attributes
ACN	477820
Time
Date	200007
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : drk.vortac
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 38700 msl bound upper : 39000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : j10.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 3600
ASRS Report	477820
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : separated traffic flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were air carrier X from mem to lax, talking to ZLA, FL390, about hippi on J-10. We heard ZLA clear 'air carrier Y, descend to FL310.' I acknowledged, 'air carrier X leaving FL390 for FL310.' first officer was flying, he put FL310 in the FCU and we both confirmed. We began a shallow descent. At FL387 the controller called us and said the descent was for 'air carrier Y.' we immediately began a climb back to FL390. As we were initiating our climb the controller said for us to descend to FL310 and 'that would solve the problem' and later thanked us for helping him. I responded to all ATC xmissions after that with 'air carrier X' and that seemed to remove any of the confusion about our call sign. We never heard air carrier Y on the frequency previous to this and ATC did not give us a 'heads up' about similar call signs. Also I think air carrier Y and I both stepped on each other's readback of the clearance initially. Crew fatigue, +11 hour duty day. After landing I called our dispatch and requested that a note be added to future air carrier X and air carrier Y releases about similar call signs. Air carrier Y goes msp to san and air carrier X mem to lax. I also sent in company and pilot's group safety report identing the problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN AIRBUS A320 TOOK A DSCNT CLRNC INTENDED FOR ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT WITH A SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN RESULTING IN ARTCC CTLR INTERVENTION TO STOP THEIR DSCNT.

Narrative: WE WERE ACR X FROM MEM TO LAX, TALKING TO ZLA, FL390, ABOUT HIPPI ON J-10. WE HEARD ZLA CLR 'ACR Y, DSND TO FL310.' I ACKNOWLEDGED, 'ACR X LEAVING FL390 FOR FL310.' FO WAS FLYING, HE PUT FL310 IN THE FCU AND WE BOTH CONFIRMED. WE BEGAN A SHALLOW DSCNT. AT FL387 THE CTLR CALLED US AND SAID THE DSCNT WAS FOR 'ACR Y.' WE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A CLB BACK TO FL390. AS WE WERE INITIATING OUR CLB THE CTLR SAID FOR US TO DSND TO FL310 AND 'THAT WOULD SOLVE THE PROB' AND LATER THANKED US FOR HELPING HIM. I RESPONDED TO ALL ATC XMISSIONS AFTER THAT WITH 'ACR X' AND THAT SEEMED TO REMOVE ANY OF THE CONFUSION ABOUT OUR CALL SIGN. WE NEVER HEARD ACR Y ON THE FREQ PREVIOUS TO THIS AND ATC DID NOT GIVE US A 'HEADS UP' ABOUT SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. ALSO I THINK ACR Y AND I BOTH STEPPED ON EACH OTHER'S READBACK OF THE CLRNC INITIALLY. CREW FATIGUE, +11 HR DUTY DAY. AFTER LNDG I CALLED OUR DISPATCH AND REQUESTED THAT A NOTE BE ADDED TO FUTURE ACR X AND ACR Y RELEASES ABOUT SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. ACR Y GOES MSP TO SAN AND ACR X MEM TO LAX. I ALSO SENT IN COMPANY AND PLT'S GROUP SAFETY RPT IDENTING THE PROB.

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.