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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Air carrier medium large transport on 180 degree heading maintaining 6000 ft. Similar call sign on frequency. Reporter acknowledged clearance to 160 degrees descend to 5000 ft. Got TCASII TA and RA. Made rapid climb back to 6000 ft. Clear of conflict and completed the ILS approach. ATC must have confused the similar call signs.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 370586 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199706 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : atl |
| State Reference | GA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : atl |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 370586 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 6000 vertical : 500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Vectoring to final for ILS runway 8L atl, base to final, heading 180 degrees at 6000 ft. WX was 3500 ft overcast and we were IMC. There was another aircraft in the pattern with a similar call sign and we were aware and listening for our call sign. We both heard ATC direct our call sign to 'turn left to 160 degrees, descend to 5000 ft, 160 KTS to marker, cleared ILS.' I gave a full readback, we complied, and began the descent. After 30 seconds, ATC said 'turn to 180 degrees now' as our TCASII gave a TA followed by a rapid RA 'climb.' we turned, climbed to 6000 ft and noticed a 500 ft vertical separation on TCASII (all this was IMC) and approximately 1 mi horizontal. We then intercepted the ILS shortly after. Either ATC used our call sign mistakenly or we took the other similar call sign clearance. In either case, similar sounding call signs continue to be a danger, even with increased vigilance!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR MLG ON 180 DEG HDG MAINTAINING 6000 FT. SIMILAR CALL SIGN ON FREQ. RPTR ACKNOWLEDGED CLRNC TO 160 DEGS DSND TO 5000 FT. GOT TCASII TA AND RA. MADE RAPID CLB BACK TO 6000 FT. CLR OF CONFLICT AND COMPLETED THE ILS APCH. ATC MUST HAVE CONFUSED THE SIMILAR CALL SIGNS.
Narrative: VECTORING TO FINAL FOR ILS RWY 8L ATL, BASE TO FINAL, HDG 180 DEGS AT 6000 FT. WX WAS 3500 FT OVCST AND WE WERE IMC. THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN AND WE WERE AWARE AND LISTENING FOR OUR CALL SIGN. WE BOTH HEARD ATC DIRECT OUR CALL SIGN TO 'TURN L TO 160 DEGS, DSND TO 5000 FT, 160 KTS TO MARKER, CLRED ILS.' I GAVE A FULL READBACK, WE COMPLIED, AND BEGAN THE DSCNT. AFTER 30 SECONDS, ATC SAID 'TURN TO 180 DEGS NOW' AS OUR TCASII GAVE A TA FOLLOWED BY A RAPID RA 'CLB.' WE TURNED, CLBED TO 6000 FT AND NOTICED A 500 FT VERT SEPARATION ON TCASII (ALL THIS WAS IMC) AND APPROX 1 MI HORIZ. WE THEN INTERCEPTED THE ILS SHORTLY AFTER. EITHER ATC USED OUR CALL SIGN MISTAKENLY OR WE TOOK THE OTHER SIMILAR CALL SIGN CLRNC. IN EITHER CASE, SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS CONTINUE TO BE A DANGER, EVEN WITH INCREASED VIGILANCE!
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.