Narrative:

Widebody transport type aircraft departed saint maarten for san juan, flight #xby. The copilot complained of VOR identify side tone, with limited ability to deselect, thus making communications more difficult. The flight departed saint maarten and climbed wbound to 16000'. Prior to reaching 16000' the crew received and acknowledged a clearance to 17000'. San juan center asked flight #xby to confirm our altitude. The crew confirmed the aircraft was level at 17000'. San juan center advised that we were assigned to 16000', that 'flight #xay' (not flight #xby) was assigned to 17000'. The crew was then advised there was no traffic conflict and to maintain 17000'. This similarity in call signs occurs daily on the saint maarten flight. Where the miscom took place it is difficult to say. However, if ATC would have advised that flight #xay was on the frequency or the company would not schedule flight #xay and flight #xby in the same airspace, communications could be easier.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOT DURING CLIMB IN RESPONSE TO WRONG CALL SIGN.

Narrative: WDB TYPE ACFT DEPARTED SAINT MAARTEN FOR SAN JUAN, FLT #XBY. THE COPLT COMPLAINED OF VOR IDENT SIDE TONE, WITH LIMITED ABILITY TO DESELECT, THUS MAKING COMS MORE DIFFICULT. THE FLT DEPARTED SAINT MAARTEN AND CLBED WBOUND TO 16000'. PRIOR TO REACHING 16000' THE CREW RECEIVED AND ACKNOWLEDGED A CLRNC TO 17000'. SAN JUAN CENTER ASKED FLT #XBY TO CONFIRM OUR ALT. THE CREW CONFIRMED THE ACFT WAS LEVEL AT 17000'. SAN JUAN CENTER ADVISED THAT WE WERE ASSIGNED TO 16000', THAT 'FLT #XAY' (NOT FLT #XBY) WAS ASSIGNED TO 17000'. THE CREW WAS THEN ADVISED THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT AND TO MAINTAIN 17000'. THIS SIMILARITY IN CALL SIGNS OCCURS DAILY ON THE SAINT MAARTEN FLT. WHERE THE MISCOM TOOK PLACE IT IS DIFFICULT TO SAY. HOWEVER, IF ATC WOULD HAVE ADVISED THAT FLT #XAY WAS ON THE FREQ OR THE COMPANY WOULD NOT SCHEDULE FLT #XAY AND FLT #XBY IN THE SAME AIRSPACE, COMS COULD BE EASIER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.