Narrative:

This incident occurred while arriving at dfw airport on the acton nine arrival. We were at assigned altitude of 11000' 25 DME from acton when the controller cleared our call sign to 5000'. We acknowledged the clearance and began our descent. At 10750' the controller told us to maintain 11000', and that traffic was climbing out of dfw at 8500'. We stopped our descent and climbed back to 11000'. He then stated that the clearance was for our company flight Y which had similar sounding call sign. Aircraft Y stated that he did not hear his flight number called. The controller was indeed flustered! My copilot and I were both aware that the descent clearance was early, however the runways were in use 13-18-17 we both heard our call sign cleared to 5000' and I acknowledged the clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT BETWEEN TWO IFR ACFT WHEN ACR X TOOK DESCENT CLRNC WHICH CTLR MEANT FOR ACR Y. OPERATIONAL DEVIATION.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE ARRIVING AT DFW ARPT ON THE ACTON NINE ARRIVAL. WE WERE AT ASSIGNED ALT OF 11000' 25 DME FROM ACTON WHEN THE CTLR CLRED OUR CALL SIGN TO 5000'. WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC AND BEGAN OUR DESCENT. AT 10750' THE CTLR TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 11000', AND THAT TFC WAS CLIMBING OUT OF DFW AT 8500'. WE STOPPED OUR DESCENT AND CLIMBED BACK TO 11000'. HE THEN STATED THAT THE CLRNC WAS FOR OUR COMPANY FLT Y WHICH HAD SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN. ACFT Y STATED THAT HE DID NOT HEAR HIS FLT NUMBER CALLED. THE CTLR WAS INDEED FLUSTERED! MY COPLT AND I WERE BOTH AWARE THAT THE DESCENT CLRNC WAS EARLY, HOWEVER THE RWYS WERE IN USE 13-18-17 WE BOTH HEARD OUR CALL SIGN CLRED TO 5000' AND I ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC.

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.