Air carrier crew uses incorrect call sign causing much confusion.

Attributes
ACN	480550
Time
Date	200007
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : den.tower
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : den.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground other : unknown
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 2600
ASRS Report	480550
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

I accepted a takeoff clearance for an air carrier X flight abcd. My flight was #abce, but the company flight plan advised to use call sign xyzw. On 3 occasions, we corrected the tower concerning the last digit of our flight number. On these occasions there was an unintelligible response. After we were airborne, tower advised that we, as air carrier X flight abcd, had the wrong squawk. Air carrier X flight abcd was listening on the frequency and advised the tower that they were still on the ground. After a pause, the tower offered that there was no air carrier X flight abce on file, but an xyzw. We concurred that we were indeed flight xyzw. This was a communication mixup that could have been avoided had we been more proactive in querying the tower concerning the call sign air carrier X 1234. The tower could have assisted by questioning 2 strips passed by the ground controller. Ground also accepted our call sign abce -- most likely assuming that we were abcd.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CREW USES INCORRECT CALL SIGN CAUSING MUCH CONFUSION.

Narrative: I ACCEPTED A TKOF CLRNC FOR AN ACR X FLT ABCD. MY FLT WAS #ABCE, BUT THE COMPANY FLT PLAN ADVISED TO USE CALL SIGN XYZW. ON 3 OCCASIONS, WE CORRECTED THE TWR CONCERNING THE LAST DIGIT OF OUR FLT NUMBER. ON THESE OCCASIONS THERE WAS AN UNINTELLIGIBLE RESPONSE. AFTER WE WERE AIRBORNE, TWR ADVISED THAT WE, AS ACR X FLT ABCD, HAD THE WRONG SQUAWK. ACR X FLT ABCD WAS LISTENING ON THE FREQ AND ADVISED THE TWR THAT THEY WERE STILL ON THE GND. AFTER A PAUSE, THE TWR OFFERED THAT THERE WAS NO ACR X FLT ABCE ON FILE, BUT AN XYZW. WE CONCURRED THAT WE WERE INDEED FLT XYZW. THIS WAS A COM MIXUP THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD WE BEEN MORE PROACTIVE IN QUERYING THE TWR CONCERNING THE CALL SIGN ACR X 1234. THE TWR COULD HAVE ASSISTED BY QUESTIONING 2 STRIPS PASSED BY THE GND CTLR. GND ALSO ACCEPTED OUR CALL SIGN ABCE -- MOST LIKELY ASSUMING THAT WE WERE ABCD.

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.