Captain of a B727-200 inadvertently started descent after responding to the wrong call sign and then stopped descent in response to a TCASII RA. Approach controller had not issued a TA.

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Attributes
ACN	485928
Time
Date	200009
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bhm.airport
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bhm.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 6
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bhm.tracon
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	485928
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : student pilot : private pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	485393
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties
Miss Distance	horizontal : 21000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on descent into bhm airport, captain noticed TCASII traffic directly in the path of our airplane. He stopped descent from 6000 ft at 5500 ft, in compliance with TCASII command. I was riding on the jump seat. At the time I thought it strange that ATC did not point out traffic to us. Later I learned that we hand answered a descent call meant for another airplane. The first officer had read the clearance back with our call sign and got no response. The clearance was to descend from 6000 ft to 4000 ft. After we stopped our descent at 5500 ft to avoid the traffic and comply with TCASII, ATC again cleared us to 4000 ft. At no time did ATC indicate that there was a problem. We also avoided the other aircraft (helicopter) by at least 3 mi.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A B727-200 INADVERTENTLY STARTED DSCNT AFTER RESPONDING TO THE WRONG CALL SIGN AND THEN STOPPED DSCNT IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA. APCH CTLR HAD NOT ISSUED A TA.

Narrative: WHILE ON DSCNT INTO BHM ARPT, CAPT NOTICED TCASII TFC DIRECTLY IN THE PATH OF OUR AIRPLANE. HE STOPPED DSCNT FROM 6000 FT AT 5500 FT, IN COMPLIANCE WITH TCASII COMMAND. I WAS RIDING ON THE JUMP SEAT. AT THE TIME I THOUGHT IT STRANGE THAT ATC DID NOT POINT OUT TFC TO US. LATER I LEARNED THAT WE HAND ANSWERED A DSCNT CALL MEANT FOR ANOTHER AIRPLANE. THE FO HAD READ THE CLRNC BACK WITH OUR CALL SIGN AND GOT NO RESPONSE. THE CLRNC WAS TO DSND FROM 6000 FT TO 4000 FT. AFTER WE STOPPED OUR DSCNT AT 5500 FT TO AVOID THE TFC AND COMPLY WITH TCASII, ATC AGAIN CLRED US TO 4000 FT. AT NO TIME DID ATC INDICATE THAT THERE WAS A PROB. WE ALSO AVOIDED THE OTHER ACFT (HELI) BY AT LEAST 3 MI.

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.