Narrative:

Inbound on flight air carrier X at 11000 ft, we were switched to atl approach about 8 mi from atl VOR. When we checked in there was an air carrier Y already on the frequency, but the controller on 126.9 did not advise us of the similar sounding call signs. About 5 mins after we checked in, air carrier Y checked in, and again the controller did not advise either aircraft of what was now very similar call signs. While flying a 180 degree heading about 15 mi west of field, controller gave us a descent to 10000 ft. Captain read back clearance with hard emphasis on 'air carrier X', and descent was initiated. Descending through 10700 ft controller asked us to verify that we were level at 11000 ft, as we were showing 10700 ft. Captain informed him that we were descending to 10000 ft, and restated that special emphasis had been put on the 'air carrier X' part of the read back. We were instructed to immediately climb to 11000 ft, and a 2000 FPM climb was initiated back to 11000 ft. About 2 mins later, controller asked air carrier Y to verify that he was descending, and air carrier Y responded that they had not received a clearance to descend. They were given the descent clearance, and then the controller stated 'ok, I see what I did, sorry about that...' flight was continued without further incident, however, this controller never did advise of similar sounding call signs, even after the mix up. His handoff to us was 'air carrier X contact approach on 127.25, and sorry about the mix up, good day.' I checked the air carrier Y computer on landing and air carrier Y is scheduled to arrive in atl at XA59. We were scheduled to arrive at XB45 and air carrier Z is scheduled to arrive at XC06. It is obvious that with just a small variance in arrival times this can, will, and did cause at the very least serious confusion. We fly the same rtes day after day, and we normally know when to expect turns, dscnts, frequency changes, etc. In this case the descent came at an unusual place, so when I read back the clearance I placed special emphasis on our call sign, which the controller evidently did not pick up on. With a busy frequency such as atl approach control, it is somewhat difficult to get a complete question in about a clearance, but next time this happens I will certainly take the time. In addition, there are 3 flts into the atl airport within 1 hour with similar call signs, and this needs to be changed.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ATR 72 FLC ACCEPTS THE ALT CHANGE MEANT FOR ANOTHER ACR FLT WITH A SIMILAR SOUNDING CAL SIGN 15 WEST OF ATL, GA.

Narrative: INBOUND ON FLT ACR X AT 11000 FT, WE WERE SWITCHED TO ATL APCH ABOUT 8 MI FROM ATL VOR. WHEN WE CHECKED IN THERE WAS AN ACR Y ALREADY ON THE FREQ, BUT THE CTLR ON 126.9 DID NOT ADVISE US OF THE SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS. ABOUT 5 MINS AFTER WE CHECKED IN, ACR Y CHECKED IN, AND AGAIN THE CTLR DID NOT ADVISE EITHER ACFT OF WHAT WAS NOW VERY SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. WHILE FLYING A 180 DEG HDG ABOUT 15 MI WEST OF FIELD, CTLR GAVE US A DSCNT TO 10000 FT. CAPT READ BACK CLRNC WITH HARD EMPHASIS ON 'ACR X', AND DSCNT WAS INITIATED. DSNDING THROUGH 10700 FT CTLR ASKED US TO VERIFY THAT WE WERE LEVEL AT 11000 FT, AS WE WERE SHOWING 10700 FT. CAPT INFORMED HIM THAT WE WERE DSNDING TO 10000 FT, AND RESTATED THAT SPECIAL EMPHASIS HAD BEEN PUT ON THE 'ACR X' PART OF THE READ BACK. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO IMMEDIATELY CLB TO 11000 FT, AND A 2000 FPM CLB WAS INITIATED BACK TO 11000 FT. ABOUT 2 MINS LATER, CTLR ASKED ACR Y TO VERIFY THAT HE WAS DSNDING, AND ACR Y RESPONDED THAT THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED A CLRNC TO DSND. THEY WERE GIVEN THE DSCNT CLRNC, AND THEN THE CTLR STATED 'OK, I SEE WHAT I DID, SORRY ABOUT THAT...' FLT WAS CONTINUED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT, HOWEVER, THIS CTLR NEVER DID ADVISE OF SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS, EVEN AFTER THE MIX UP. HIS HANDOFF TO US WAS 'ACR X CONTACT APCH ON 127.25, AND SORRY ABOUT THE MIX UP, GOOD DAY.' I CHECKED THE ACR Y COMPUTER ON LNDG AND ACR Y IS SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE IN ATL AT XA59. WE WERE SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE AT XB45 AND ACR Z IS SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE AT XC06. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT WITH JUST A SMALL VARIANCE IN ARRIVAL TIMES THIS CAN, WILL, AND DID CAUSE AT THE VERY LEAST SERIOUS CONFUSION. WE FLY THE SAME RTES DAY AFTER DAY, AND WE NORMALLY KNOW WHEN TO EXPECT TURNS, DSCNTS, FREQ CHANGES, ETC. IN THIS CASE THE DSCNT CAME AT AN UNUSUAL PLACE, SO WHEN I READ BACK THE CLRNC I PLACED SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON OUR CALL SIGN, WHICH THE CTLR EVIDENTLY DID NOT PICK UP ON. WITH A BUSY FREQ SUCH AS ATL APCH CTL, IT IS SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT TO GET A COMPLETE QUESTION IN ABOUT A CLRNC, BUT NEXT TIME THIS HAPPENS I WILL CERTAINLY TAKE THE TIME. IN ADDITION, THERE ARE 3 FLTS INTO THE ATL ARPT WITHIN 1 HR WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS, AND THIS NEEDS TO BE CHANGED.

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.