An A310 cargo flight accepts the clearance meant for another flight with similar sounding alpha numeric as their flight from approach controller at roc, ny.

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Attributes
ACN	537150
Time
Date	200202
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : roc.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : roc.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A310
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : roc.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 14500 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	537150
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	537477
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company Aircraft ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared by buffalo approach control to 7000 ft. Handed off to roc approach. Unknown to us there was another aircraft on frequency with a similar call sign. We understood and read back with our call sign a clearance to 2500 ft. Passing 6500 ft, roc approach called and said our clearance was to 7000 ft. I (PNF) replied that we understood and read back 2500 ft. Roc approach said we transmitted the readback at same time as the aircraft it was intended for. He then cleared us to 4000 ft. Contributing: 1) problem with FMS which preoccupied PNF. 2) lack of controller's responsibility to monitor readback for errors/misunderstandings. (I understand this is no longer a requirement which seems wrong to me.) 3) unacceptably high workload at times in 2 pilot FMS equipped heavy transport aircraft. Supplemental information from acn 537477: it would have been helpful if roc approach had informed us that another aircraft was on frequency with very similar call sign/flight number.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A310 CARGO FLT ACCEPTS THE CLRNC MEANT FOR ANOTHER FLT WITH SIMILAR SOUNDING ALPHA NUMERIC AS THEIR FLT FROM APCH CTLR AT ROC, NY.

Narrative: CLRED BY BUFFALO APCH CTL TO 7000 FT. HANDED OFF TO ROC APCH. UNKNOWN TO US THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT ON FREQ WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN. WE UNDERSTOOD AND READ BACK WITH OUR CALL SIGN A CLRNC TO 2500 FT. PASSING 6500 FT, ROC APCH CALLED AND SAID OUR CLRNC WAS TO 7000 FT. I (PNF) REPLIED THAT WE UNDERSTOOD AND READ BACK 2500 FT. ROC APCH SAID WE XMITTED THE READBACK AT SAME TIME AS THE ACFT IT WAS INTENDED FOR. HE THEN CLRED US TO 4000 FT. CONTRIBUTING: 1) PROB WITH FMS WHICH PREOCCUPIED PNF. 2) LACK OF CTLR'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MONITOR READBACK FOR ERRORS/MISUNDERSTANDINGS. (I UNDERSTAND THIS IS NO LONGER A REQUIREMENT WHICH SEEMS WRONG TO ME.) 3) UNACCEPTABLY HIGH WORKLOAD AT TIMES IN 2 PLT FMS EQUIPPED HVY TRANSPORT ACFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 537477: IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL IF ROC APCH HAD INFORMED US THAT ANOTHER ACFT WAS ON FREQ WITH VERY SIMILAR CALL SIGN/FLT NUMBER.

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.