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ZDC controller and B777 first officer reported the wrong aircraft accepted a climb clearance due to similar sounding call signs.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1654970 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201906 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001-0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZDC.ARTCC |
| State Reference | VA |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Cruise |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | A319 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Cruise |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Enroute |
| Qualification | Air Traffic Control Fully Certified |
| Experience | Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 11.0 |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | First Officer Pilot Not Flying |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 222 Flight Crew Total 10502 Flight Crew Type 1988 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Conflict Airborne Conflict Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Deviation - Procedural Clearance |
Narrative:
When aircraft X checked on at 340 he asked for higher. I told him he had traffic overhead but would diverge in about 40-50 miles and I would get him 360 when it was available. Aircraft Y has also had a request for higher and I couldn't give it at the time. Later aircraft X asked again and said would be willing to turn if necessary. I was looking right at aircraft Y and remembered he had asked earlier. I had additional crossing traffic for him at 360 and asked if he could accept 380. He said he could and I climbed aircraft Y to flight level 380 and changed the data block to reflect that. I didn't realize that both aircraft Y and aircraft X were on frequency and while I thought the second request came from aircraft Y it was in fact aircraft X I was talking to. So when I climbed aircraft Y; it was aircraft X who responded to the climb clearance and I didn't catch it. I didn't realize I had the similar call signs until the conflict alert went off. Initially I thought it was a mode C swap and then I realized what had happened. At that point; I had already lost separation but both aircraft were diverging and aircraft X was almost above aircraft Z with his high climb rate. So I turned them both just to provide some extra space.always make sure to use call signs with every transmission. To the extent possible; do not schedule two flights with nearly identical call signs; to be on the same route at the same time.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZDC Controller and B777 First Officer reported the wrong aircraft accepted a climb clearance due to similar sounding call signs.
Narrative: When Aircraft X checked on at 340 he asked for higher. I told him he had traffic overhead but would diverge in about 40-50 miles and I would get him 360 when it was available. Aircraft Y has also had a request for higher and I couldn't give it at the time. Later Aircraft X asked again and said would be willing to turn if necessary. I was looking right at Aircraft Y and remembered he had asked earlier. I had additional crossing traffic for him at 360 and asked if he could accept 380. He said he could and I climbed Aircraft Y to flight level 380 and changed the data block to reflect that. I didn't realize that both Aircraft Y and Aircraft X were on frequency and while I thought the second request came from Aircraft Y it was in fact Aircraft X I was talking to. So when I climbed Aircraft Y; it was Aircraft X who responded to the climb clearance and I didn't catch it. I didn't realize I had the similar call signs until the conflict alert went off. Initially I thought it was a Mode C swap and then I realized what had happened. At that point; I had already lost separation but both aircraft were diverging and Aircraft X was almost above Aircraft Z with his high climb rate. So I turned them both just to provide some extra space.Always make sure to use call signs with every transmission. To the extent possible; do not schedule two flights with nearly identical call signs; to be on the same route at the same time.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.