The wrong aircraft acknowledged for a climb clearance and conflicted with another aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	119261
Time
Date	198908
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other enroute airway : zid
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 1 controller radar : 7
ASRS Report	119261
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I had just finished working the inbound rush to cvg, and the outbnd rush was well underway. Air carrier X was issued an altitude of 13,000' for traffic and a vector of 265 degree to expedite the availability of a higher altitude. Air carrier Y was assigned an altitude of FL280 which he failed to acknowledge. Air carrier X took the clearance and began a climb. The discrepancy in call signs was unnoticed until air carrier X had violated the protected airspace for an overflying air carrier Z at 14,000'. It is my opinion that pilot inattention as well as a high level of background noise at the radar sector were contributing factors in this incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE WRONG ACFT ACKNOWLEDGED FOR A CLIMB CLRNC AND CONFLICTED WITH ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: I HAD JUST FINISHED WORKING THE INBND RUSH TO CVG, AND THE OUTBND RUSH WAS WELL UNDERWAY. ACR X WAS ISSUED AN ALT OF 13,000' FOR TFC AND A VECTOR OF 265 DEG TO EXPEDITE THE AVAILABILITY OF A HIGHER ALT. ACR Y WAS ASSIGNED AN ALT OF FL280 WHICH HE FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE. ACR X TOOK THE CLRNC AND BEGAN A CLIMB. THE DISCREPANCY IN CALL SIGNS WAS UNNOTICED UNTIL ACR X HAD VIOLATED THE PROTECTED AIRSPACE FOR AN OVERFLYING ACR Z AT 14,000'. IT IS MY OPINION THAT PLT INATTENTION AS WELL AS A HIGH LEVEL OF BACKGROUND NOISE AT THE RADAR SECTOR WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS IN THIS INCIDENT.

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.