B737 flight crew hear a clearance from zan ARTCC to descend and a short time later find out the clearance was for an aircraft with a similar call sign.

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Attributes
ACN	603646
Time
Date	200312
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : akn.vortac
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 30700 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	603646
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	603645
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar/mode c other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

While en route to ZZZ as air carrier X, air carrier Y was given a clearance to descend to FL280. I mistakenly read back the clearance and set the altitude alerter to FL280 as the captain started the descent. Out of FL307, the ATC controller stated that we must have accepted a clearance to descend for air carrier Y. The controller indicated that it was not a problem and gave us our choice of altitudes. We went up 300 ft to FL310 and continued the flight uneventfully.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW HEAR A CLRNC FROM ZAN ARTCC TO DSND AND A SHORT TIME LATER FIND OUT THE CLRNC WAS FOR AN ACFT WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE TO ZZZ AS ACR X, ACR Y WAS GIVEN A CLRNC TO DSND TO FL280. I MISTAKENLY READ BACK THE CLRNC AND SET THE ALT ALERTER TO FL280 AS THE CAPT STARTED THE DSCNT. OUT OF FL307, THE ATC CTLR STATED THAT WE MUST HAVE ACCEPTED A CLRNC TO DSND FOR ACR Y. THE CTLR INDICATED THAT IT WAS NOT A PROB AND GAVE US OUR CHOICE OF ALTS. WE WENT UP 300 FT TO FL310 AND CONTINUED THE FLT UNEVENTFULLY.

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.