Narrative:

Flight X was descending through about 10000 ft for 9000 ft on the shine 5 arrival into clt when the incident occurred. I was the first officer and PNF on this leg, and it was at this time that I received an instruction from ATC for flight X turn left heading 090 degrees and descend to 7000 ft. I read back this instruction with our call sign and we initiated the turn and continued our descent. A few seconds after we were established on the new heading ATC called traffic to us 'flight X traffic at 1 O'clock climbing to 8000 ft.' I replied that flight X was looking for traffic. The captain realized that we were descending to 7000 ft and began to level off at approximately 8700 ft. A second or 2 later we both saw the traffic Y and the captain began a climbing right turn. Very soon after that (a second) the TCAS issued a 'climb' RA and almost simultaneously ATC gave instructions to climb to 9000 ft and turn right to heading 180 degrees. We were established at 9000 ft and 180 degrees heading a few seconds later. The remainder of the flight was without incident. I believe the large number of similar sounding call signs on ATC frequency may have contributed to this event. It is possible that myself, the ATC controller or both may have associated a radio call sign with a different aircraft. Care must be exercised both in flight while using the radio and at flight planning stage when choosing an appropriate call sign for a particular flight. Supplemental information from acn 528942: I have since this occurrence came up with a new readback technique, which I plan to enforce anytime I am captain: if a clearance that is critical in nature, the clearance will include the word 'verify' at the beginning of the readback. I think the word verify at the beginning, if there is any question in either of our minds, will cause the controller to listen better to the readback.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE FLC OF A DSNDING COMMUTER JET TAKES THE CALL SIGN FOR ANOTHER ONE OF THEIR FLTS AND HAS A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH A CLIMBING COMMUTER TURBO PROP NEAR CLT, NC.

Narrative: FLT X WAS DSNDING THROUGH ABOUT 10000 FT FOR 9000 FT ON THE SHINE 5 ARRIVAL INTO CLT WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. I WAS THE FO AND PNF ON THIS LEG, AND IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT I RECEIVED AN INSTRUCTION FROM ATC FOR FLT X TURN LEFT HEADING 090 DEGS AND DSND TO 7000 FT. I READ BACK THIS INSTRUCTION WITH OUR CALL SIGN AND WE INITIATED THE TURN AND CONTINUED OUR DSCNT. A FEW SECS AFTER WE WERE ESTABLISHED ON THE NEW HEADING ATC CALLED TFC TO US 'FLT X TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK CLIMBING TO 8000 FT.' I REPLIED THAT FLT X WAS LOOKING FOR TFC. THE CAPT REALIZED THAT WE WERE DSNDING TO 7000 FT AND BEGAN TO LEVEL OFF AT APPROX 8700 FT. A SEC OR 2 LATER WE BOTH SAW THE TFC Y AND THE CAPT BEGAN A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN. VERY SOON AFTER THAT (A SEC) THE TCAS ISSUED A 'CLIMB' RA AND ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY ATC GAVE INSTRUCTIONS TO CLIMB TO 9000 FT AND TURN RIGHT TO HEADING 180 DEGS. WE WERE ESTABLISHED AT 9000 FT AND 180 DEGS HEADING A FEW SECS LATER. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THE LARGE NUMBER OF SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS ON ATC FREQ MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS EVENT. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT MYSELF, THE ATC CTLR OR BOTH MAY HAVE ASSOCIATED A RADIO CALL SIGN WITH A DIFFERENT ACFT. CARE MUST BE EXERCISED BOTH IN FLT WHILE USING THE RADIO AND AT FLT PLANNING STAGE WHEN CHOOSING AN APPROPRIATE CALL SIGN FOR A PARTICULAR FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 528942: I HAVE SINCE THIS OCCURRENCE CAME UP WITH A NEW READBACK TECHNIQUE, WHICH I PLAN TO ENFORCE ANYTIME I AM CAPT: IF A CLRNC THAT IS CRITICAL IN NATURE, THE CLRNC WILL INCLUDE THE WORD 'VERIFY' AT THE BEGINNING OF THE READBACK. I THINK THE WORD VERIFY AT THE BEGINNING, IF THERE IS ANY QUESTION IN EITHER OF OUR MINDS, WILL CAUSE THE CTLR TO LISTEN BETTER TO THE READBACK.

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.