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Flight of 2 F15 aircraft start a descent that was meant for another flight of 2 F15 aircraft with a similar call sign. A loss of separation occurred as a result.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 493986 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200012 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : swl.vortac |
| State Reference | MD |
| Altitude | msl single value : 22000 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Eagle (F-15) |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Eagle (F-15) |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 8 controller time certified in position1 : 1 |
| ASRS Report | 493986 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : military |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : military |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
The flight of 2 F15's at FL220 was cleared to descend to 10000 ft. The flight of 2 F15's at FL230 took the descent. After attempts to verify the upper flight was still level failed, they were turned. Similar sounding call signs (military xa and military xx) were a major factor. Flts splitting should choose very different numbers.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT OF 2 F15 ACFT START A DSCNT THAT WAS MEANT FOR ANOTHER FLT OF 2 F15 ACFT WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN. A LOSS OF SEPARATION OCCURRED AS A RESULT.
Narrative: THE FLT OF 2 F15'S AT FL220 WAS CLRED TO DSND TO 10000 FT. THE FLT OF 2 F15'S AT FL230 TOOK THE DSCNT. AFTER ATTEMPTS TO VERIFY THE UPPER FLT WAS STILL LEVEL FAILED, THEY WERE TURNED. SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS (MIL XA AND MIL XX) WERE A MAJOR FACTOR. FLTS SPLITTING SHOULD CHOOSE VERY DIFFERENT NUMBERS.
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.