Aircraft with similar call signs flew the wrong clearance.

Attributes
ACN	430859
Time
Date	199903
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdl.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl single value : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sdl.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Conquest I/Conquest II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : sdl.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Gates Learjet Corp Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	430859
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 4
Resolutory Action	flight crew : executed missed approach
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Approaching sdl, phx approach did not turn us over to tower until we were on a 6 1/2 mi base. Tower did not respond to the first call. Second call was at 5 1/2 mi base. Upon completion of the transmission, tower said 'you are cleared to land.' I responded with '(registration number) cleared to land runway 21.' after 10-15 seconds, a learjet, which was behind us, transmitted 'we've got a conquest in front of us, we're going around.' at that point, sdl local asked us where we came from, when did we call, etc. The tower's point of view is that we just barged into sdl without clearance. I feel that sdl local was confused by registration number. The lear was nxxa, I was nxxb. When I confirmed 'cleared to land' local may have thought nxxa had transmitted the acknowledgement. When tower originally said 'you are cleared...,' controller may have thought he was talking to nxxa. I responded to the 'you are cleared...' with my number just to confirm who 'you' was.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS FLEW THE WRONG CLRNC.

Narrative: APCHING SDL, PHX APCH DID NOT TURN US OVER TO TWR UNTIL WE WERE ON A 6 1/2 MI BASE. TWR DID NOT RESPOND TO THE FIRST CALL. SECOND CALL WAS AT 5 1/2 MI BASE. UPON COMPLETION OF THE XMISSION, TWR SAID 'YOU ARE CLRED TO LAND.' I RESPONDED WITH '(REGISTRATION NUMBER) CLRED TO LAND RWY 21.' AFTER 10-15 SECONDS, A LEARJET, WHICH WAS BEHIND US, XMITTED 'WE'VE GOT A CONQUEST IN FRONT OF US, WE'RE GOING AROUND.' AT THAT POINT, SDL LCL ASKED US WHERE WE CAME FROM, WHEN DID WE CALL, ETC. THE TWR'S POINT OF VIEW IS THAT WE JUST BARGED INTO SDL WITHOUT CLRNC. I FEEL THAT SDL LCL WAS CONFUSED BY REGISTRATION NUMBER. THE LEAR WAS NXXA, I WAS NXXB. WHEN I CONFIRMED 'CLRED TO LAND' LCL MAY HAVE THOUGHT NXXA HAD XMITTED THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. WHEN TWR ORIGINALLY SAID 'YOU ARE CLRED...,' CTLR MAY HAVE THOUGHT HE WAS TALKING TO NXXA. I RESPONDED TO THE 'YOU ARE CLRED...' WITH MY NUMBER JUST TO CONFIRM WHO 'YOU' WAS.

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.