Narrative:

Location: deviating north of mia 6 departure, skips transition, departure upon line-up on runway 9L mia. The captain and I noticed WX to the ese. After contacting mia departure on 125.5, I (as PNF) put in a request for WX deviation to the nne. Mia departure gave us our requested deviation and eventually handed us off to ZMA. We observed (both visually and on radar) an extensive line of thunderstorms extending in an easterly direction. Radio communication was difficult due to the volume of traffic deviating for WX. Attempts were made with ZMA to request an immediate climb. We were stair-stepped to FL200 and denied further requests to climb. Due to this restr we requested a heading of 070 degrees to avoid WX. With no response from ZMA, we again made this request. During a period of heavy communications with other traffic, I thought I received clearance to turn to a heading of 070 degrees and climb to FL230. I read back this clearance in its entirety and conveyed it to the captain. We began a turn and a shallow climb as the captain noticed proximity traffic on TCASII. She asked for confirmation with center as we leveled off at FL204. At that moment, ZMA responded to my readback and directed a return to FL200. He stated the clearance was for another flight. We returned to FL200 and continued to request WX avoidance headings at that altitude. ZMA was unable to respond to our requests and eventually asked us to contact the next controller with request. Lessons learned: be more directive and assertive with ATC when priority is needed. Ensure confirmation of request with ATC is acknowledged early in the process. Continue to always comply with readback of instructions. Continue to use TCASII for situational awareness. Supplemental information from acn 541997: we initiated the turn to 070 degrees and started the climb. PF saw a target on the TCASII that was 100 ft above and about 9-8 O'clock position at about 5 mi. PF stopped the climb at FL204 and asked the PNF to verify clearance. Prior to PNF verification call, ZMA contacted us and directed us to return to FL200 and stated that the clearance to FL230 was for another flight. What I learned as PF and PIC on this flight was to be more aggressive in requesting deviations for WX and to make sure that ATC understands the urgency of my deviation requests. Just for your information, at no time did our TCASII show any TA.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING WX DEVS AND HIGH TFC AND RADIO CONGESTION AN ACR ACCEPTS A CLB CLRNC MEANT FOR ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN.

Narrative: LOCATION: DEVIATING N OF MIA 6 DEP, SKIPS TRANSITION, DEP UPON LINE-UP ON RWY 9L MIA. THE CAPT AND I NOTICED WX TO THE ESE. AFTER CONTACTING MIA DEP ON 125.5, I (AS PNF) PUT IN A REQUEST FOR WX DEV TO THE NNE. MIA DEP GAVE US OUR REQUESTED DEV AND EVENTUALLY HANDED US OFF TO ZMA. WE OBSERVED (BOTH VISUALLY AND ON RADAR) AN EXTENSIVE LINE OF TSTMS EXTENDING IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION. RADIO COM WAS DIFFICULT DUE TO THE VOLUME OF TFC DEVIATING FOR WX. ATTEMPTS WERE MADE WITH ZMA TO REQUEST AN IMMEDIATE CLB. WE WERE STAIR-STEPPED TO FL200 AND DENIED FURTHER REQUESTS TO CLB. DUE TO THIS RESTR WE REQUESTED A HDG OF 070 DEGS TO AVOID WX. WITH NO RESPONSE FROM ZMA, WE AGAIN MADE THIS REQUEST. DURING A PERIOD OF HVY COMS WITH OTHER TFC, I THOUGHT I RECEIVED CLRNC TO TURN TO A HDG OF 070 DEGS AND CLB TO FL230. I READ BACK THIS CLRNC IN ITS ENTIRETY AND CONVEYED IT TO THE CAPT. WE BEGAN A TURN AND A SHALLOW CLB AS THE CAPT NOTICED PROX TFC ON TCASII. SHE ASKED FOR CONFIRMATION WITH CTR AS WE LEVELED OFF AT FL204. AT THAT MOMENT, ZMA RESPONDED TO MY READBACK AND DIRECTED A RETURN TO FL200. HE STATED THE CLRNC WAS FOR ANOTHER FLT. WE RETURNED TO FL200 AND CONTINUED TO REQUEST WX AVOIDANCE HDGS AT THAT ALT. ZMA WAS UNABLE TO RESPOND TO OUR REQUESTS AND EVENTUALLY ASKED US TO CONTACT THE NEXT CTLR WITH REQUEST. LESSONS LEARNED: BE MORE DIRECTIVE AND ASSERTIVE WITH ATC WHEN PRIORITY IS NEEDED. ENSURE CONFIRMATION OF REQUEST WITH ATC IS ACKNOWLEDGED EARLY IN THE PROCESS. CONTINUE TO ALWAYS COMPLY WITH READBACK OF INSTRUCTIONS. CONTINUE TO USE TCASII FOR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 541997: WE INITIATED THE TURN TO 070 DEGS AND STARTED THE CLB. PF SAW A TARGET ON THE TCASII THAT WAS 100 FT ABOVE AND ABOUT 9-8 O'CLOCK POS AT ABOUT 5 MI. PF STOPPED THE CLB AT FL204 AND ASKED THE PNF TO VERIFY CLRNC. PRIOR TO PNF VERIFICATION CALL, ZMA CONTACTED US AND DIRECTED US TO RETURN TO FL200 AND STATED THAT THE CLRNC TO FL230 WAS FOR ANOTHER FLT. WHAT I LEARNED AS PF AND PIC ON THIS FLT WAS TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN REQUESTING DEVS FOR WX AND TO MAKE SURE THAT ATC UNDERSTANDS THE URGENCY OF MY DEV REQUESTS. JUST FOR YOUR INFO, AT NO TIME DID OUR TCASII SHOW ANY TA.

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.