Narrative:

While climbing out of msp, we were given a clearance to climb to 17000 ft, heading 040 degrees. Shortly after, we were given a vector of 115 degrees. At about 10000-11000 ft on our climb, we got a TA on TCASII with traffic at 12 O'clock and 6 mi ahead. We were climbing so quickly that when the conflict flew under us, there was more than 2500 ft of altitude split. Approach control called us and asked what heading we were on, and we replied 115 degrees assigned. Approach control then told us that the 115 degree vector was for aircraft Y (we were aircraft X). Aircraft Y was asked what its heading was and he replied 100 degrees. We were then told to head 360 degrees and the flight progressed normally. This is a good example of the problem with similar sounding call signs. Either aircraft X and aircraft Y mistook approach control's instructions or approach confused both aircraft (only the voice tapes will tell).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC MISTAKENLY ACCEPTED AND ACKNOWLEDGED TO ATC AN INSTRUCTION MEANT FOR ANOTHER ACFT WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING OUT OF MSP, WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO CLB TO 17000 FT, HDG 040 DEGS. SHORTLY AFTER, WE WERE GIVEN A VECTOR OF 115 DEGS. AT ABOUT 10000-11000 FT ON OUR CLB, WE GOT A TA ON TCASII WITH TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK AND 6 MI AHEAD. WE WERE CLBING SO QUICKLY THAT WHEN THE CONFLICT FLEW UNDER US, THERE WAS MORE THAN 2500 FT OF ALT SPLIT. APCH CTL CALLED US AND ASKED WHAT HDG WE WERE ON, AND WE REPLIED 115 DEGS ASSIGNED. APCH CTL THEN TOLD US THAT THE 115 DEG VECTOR WAS FOR ACFT Y (WE WERE ACFT X). ACFT Y WAS ASKED WHAT ITS HDG WAS AND HE REPLIED 100 DEGS. WE WERE THEN TOLD TO HEAD 360 DEGS AND THE FLT PROGRESSED NORMALLY. THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE PROB WITH SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS. EITHER ACFT X AND ACFT Y MISTOOK APCH CTL'S INSTRUCTIONS OR APCH CONFUSED BOTH ACFT (ONLY THE VOICE TAPES WILL TELL).

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.