Pit approach controller issues approach clearance to wrong aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	597726
Time
Date	200310
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5400 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 19800 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	597726
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar mode c other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3 - 4
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

I read back a clearance by pit approach control to turn to a heading of 240 degrees and descend from 6000 ft to 4000 ft and intercept the localizer for runway 28R at pit. The first officer initiated the descent and turn. Shortly after the controller asked an air carrier Y flight if he received the approach instructions and the air carrier Y said that another air carrier flight X answered the call. At that moment I instructed the first officer to maintain his altitude which was 5600 ft and questioned the controller about our previous instructions. The controller then told us to maintain 5000 ft and gave us a turn back to a heading of south and vectored air carrier Y flight to the localizer. I then told the controller that we read back the initial approach clearance. On the ground, a captain of a company flight approaching behind us confirmed to me that he heard the controller give us that initial turn and descent clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIT APCH CTLR ISSUES APCH CLRNC TO WRONG ACFT.

Narrative: I READ BACK A CLRNC BY PIT APCH CTL TO TURN TO A HEADING OF 240 DEGS AND DSND FROM 6000 FT TO 4000 FT AND INTERCEPT THE LOC FOR RWY 28R AT PIT. THE FO INITIATED THE DSCNT AND TURN. SHORTLY AFTER THE CTLR ASKED AN ACR Y FLT IF HE RECEIVED THE APCH INSTRUCTIONS AND THE ACR Y SAID THAT ANOTHER ACR FLT X ANSWERED THE CALL. AT THAT MOMENT I INSTRUCTED THE FO TO MAINTAIN HIS ALT WHICH WAS 5600 FT AND QUESTIONED THE CTLR ABOUT OUR PREVIOUS INSTRUCTIONS. THE CTLR THEN TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 5000 FT AND GAVE US A TURN BACK TO A HEADING OF S AND VECTORED ACR Y FLT TO THE LOC. I THEN TOLD THE CTLR THAT WE READ BACK THE INITIAL APCH CLRNC. ON THE GND, A CAPT OF A COMPANY FLT APCHING BEHIND US CONFIRMED TO ME THAT HE HEARD THE CTLR GIVE US THAT INITIAL TURN AND DSCNT CLRNC.

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.