Similar and same a/north in same area. Two aircraft with same SELCAL designator.

Attributes
ACN	102011
Time
Date	198901
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hnl
State Reference	HI
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : pacific enroute airway : zoa
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : pacific
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3400 flight time type : 70
ASRS Report	102011
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On 2 successive days of flying between los angeles and honolulu, we experienced 2 potentially confusing situations with call signs and SELCAL identifiers. I must emphasize that ATC recognized these potential problems and handled them beautifully, but I feel that both situations are easily correctable and should be fixed before a real problem arises. First, on both 1/sat/89 and 1/sun/89, our aircraft flts ca heavy and ax heavy, respectively, ax heavy had the identical SELCAL identifier (XXXX) as air carrier B flying the same route at the same time. Second, on 1/sun/89, we departed honolulu as air carrier a ax heavy at the same time as air carrier C ax heavy, flying transpacific at the same time. I believe a little coordination between the various carriers would eliminate these potential safety problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SIMILAR AND SAME A/N IN SAME AREA. TWO ACFT WITH SAME SELCAL DESIGNATOR.

Narrative: ON 2 SUCCESSIVE DAYS OF FLYING BTWN LOS ANGELES AND HONOLULU, WE EXPERIENCED 2 POTENTIALLY CONFUSING SITUATIONS WITH CALL SIGNS AND SELCAL IDENTIFIERS. I MUST EMPHASIZE THAT ATC RECOGNIZED THESE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS AND HANDLED THEM BEAUTIFULLY, BUT I FEEL THAT BOTH SITUATIONS ARE EASILY CORRECTABLE AND SHOULD BE FIXED BEFORE A REAL PROBLEM ARISES. FIRST, ON BOTH 1/SAT/89 AND 1/SUN/89, OUR ACFT FLTS CA HEAVY AND AX HEAVY, RESPECTIVELY, AX HEAVY HAD THE IDENTICAL SELCAL IDENTIFIER (XXXX) AS ACR B FLYING THE SAME ROUTE AT THE SAME TIME. SECOND, ON 1/SUN/89, WE DEPARTED HONOLULU AS ACR A AX HEAVY AT THE SAME TIME AS ACR C AX HEAVY, FLYING TRANSPACIFIC AT THE SAME TIME. I BELIEVE A LITTLE COORD BETWEEN THE VARIOUS CARRIERS WOULD ELIMINATE THESE POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEMS.

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.