Regional Jet 900 (CRJ900)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Procedure; Human Factors
The event happened between ATC and the flight crew during the descent to FL240; BRDJE3 arrival; route that we were cleared since takeoff. We got the clearance to descend via the arrival and due that ATC failed to give us an amendment on our clearance we were descending on the arrival that we had filed; BRDJE3 (SEEVR.BRDJE3) instead of the arrival that they want us to do SEEVR3. Due to this miscommunication we had to do a 360 degree turn and descend on this new arrival that we just got aware of and cleared to do. We continued the descent and complete the flight safely without farther inconvenience. This arrival BRDJE3 has in parenthesis (SEEVR.BRDJE3). When we got cleared to descend via; ATC mentioned SEEVR arrival we read back BRDJE3 arrival and we didn't get any correction and due that we weren't familiarize with the airport and never hear of any amendments in our original route we rely on ATC and proceed with the descent via BRDJE3 (SEEVR.BRDJE3) and not knowing of the existence of another arrival with the name of SEEVR3 or any change on the clearance that we had cause the conflict. I think we could avoid it if they didn't have arrivals with such similar names where you have to confirm a clearance that doesn't sound correct. And ATC find a way to confirm that an amendment to a clearance actually happened.
We were cleared to DFW via the BRDJE3 RNAV on our PDC. Fort Worth Center made a change to our flight plan but did not tell us the new clearance; which was the SEEVR3 RNAV. Both arrivals have the same fixes so we didn't know there had been a change until Approach asked us if we were going to make our crossing at BRDJE we were planning on crossing between 19000 and 17000. He said you're not going to make the crossing so He gave us a right turn 360 degrees. He asked what arrival we were on we said BRDJE3 and told us we were supposed to be on the SEEVR3 that's when we found out we were on the wrong arrival. He said center should have told us the new clearance but they hadn't. I called them when we landed they said it didn't cause any issues but I should fill out a form to make others aware. I also called the center they had no idea. Approach said they were going to call them and let them know what had happened.Having two different arrivals with the same fixes allowed us to believe we were on the correct arrival. Also the communication between center and us didn't happen. I don't fly to DFW very much so I didn't know the SEEVR3 was for a South flow and BRDJE3 was for North flow. Otherwise I would have guessed something was wrong. I think for us the fixes from FEWWW to BRDJE for both arrivals being the same was not a good thing. So that may be something to look into. Also if our dispatch sees DFW is landing south making the change when they file the flight plan would help alleviate work load for ATC and the pilots.
CRJ-900 flight crew reported being confused by the BRDJE3 arrival to DFW; which they were originally cleared for; and the SEEVR3 which was what ATC believed they issued to the crew. Both arrivals use the same waypoints to BRDJE and both use BRDJE and SEEVR. BRDJE3 is SEEVR.BRDJE3 in the FMC and SEEVR3 is SEEVR.SEEVR3.