Local controller confuses call signs of 2 small aircraft's in go around instructions.

Attributes
ACN	254791
Time
Date	199310
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vny
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 200 msl bound upper : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : vny
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3400 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	254791
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other other other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 25 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on short final approach to runway 16L at vny airport on a routine training flight, an small aircraft X descended from above us and in front of us at approximately 200-300 ft AGL. On the glide path, the tower controller saw the situation but evidently confused call signs between me and the other aircraft and told the small aircraft X to go around and he climbed back up into my flight path. I was in an small aircraft Y. There were several other aircraft in the pattern at the time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LCL CTLR CONFUSES CALL SIGNS OF 2 SMA'S IN GAR INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: WHILE ON SHORT FINAL APCH TO RWY 16L AT VNY ARPT ON A ROUTINE TRAINING FLT, AN SMA X DSNDED FROM ABOVE US AND IN FRONT OF US AT APPROX 200-300 FT AGL. ON THE GLIDE PATH, THE TWR CTLR SAW THE SIT BUT EVIDENTLY CONFUSED CALL SIGNS BTWN ME AND THE OTHER ACFT AND TOLD THE SMA X TO GAR AND HE CLBED BACK UP INTO MY FLT PATH. I WAS IN AN SMA Y. THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN AT THE TIME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.