An air carrier medium large transport flight crew answers and responds to the wrong call sign and has a potential conflict with another air carrier aircraft with a similar sounding number.

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Attributes
ACN	398382
Time
Date	199803
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : stl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	398382
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We, air carrier X #abc, departed stl on runway 30L at XA54. Air carrier X #bbc departed stl at XA53. Air carrier X #cbc departed stl at XA55. We were initially cleared to 6000 ft on a heading of 210 degrees. Then we copied and read back a clearance for climb to 15000 ft and fly heading 240 degrees. As we began to climb an intruder came on the TCASII at 10 O'clock and 3 mi, at 7000 ft. I tried to confirm our clearance but the frequency was too busy to get through. ATC (stl departure) saw the conflict and told us to return to 6000 ft. Apparently, we (air carrier X #abc) took a clearance meant for air carrier X #cbc. I think ATC confused the flight numbers, but I am certainly prone to errors myself. 3 flts with similar call signs, routings, and departure times contributed to a potentially hazardous situation. I am also debriefing this through our company safety office.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG FLC ANSWERS AND RESPONDS TO THE WRONG CALL SIGN AND HAS A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACR ACFT WITH A SIMILAR SOUNDING NUMBER.

Narrative: WE, ACR X #ABC, DEPARTED STL ON RWY 30L AT XA54. ACR X #BBC DEPARTED STL AT XA53. ACR X #CBC DEPARTED STL AT XA55. WE WERE INITIALLY CLRED TO 6000 FT ON A HDG OF 210 DEGS. THEN WE COPIED AND READ BACK A CLRNC FOR CLB TO 15000 FT AND FLY HDG 240 DEGS. AS WE BEGAN TO CLB AN INTRUDER CAME ON THE TCASII AT 10 O'CLOCK AND 3 MI, AT 7000 FT. I TRIED TO CONFIRM OUR CLRNC BUT THE FREQ WAS TOO BUSY TO GET THROUGH. ATC (STL DEP) SAW THE CONFLICT AND TOLD US TO RETURN TO 6000 FT. APPARENTLY, WE (ACR X #ABC) TOOK A CLRNC MEANT FOR ACR X #CBC. I THINK ATC CONFUSED THE FLT NUMBERS, BUT I AM CERTAINLY PRONE TO ERRORS MYSELF. 3 FLTS WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS, ROUTINGS, AND DEP TIMES CONTRIBUTED TO A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SIT. I AM ALSO DEBRIEFING THIS THROUGH OUR COMPANY SAFETY OFFICE.

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.