An air carrier crew flew the incorrect aircraft. Crew was unaware until arrival at destination.

Attributes
ACN	495270
Time
Date	200012
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : spw.airport
State Reference	IA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 885
ASRS Report	495270
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : mntnc 4
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Upon arriving at the spw airport, I asked both station agents and maintenance personnel which aircraft was going to be used on this flight. Both the agents and maintenance told me that aircraft XXX was going to be released for the flight. The dispatch release had not been sent to the station at this time. I thoroughly preflted the aircraft. The captain came out to the airplane with the paperwork (dispatch release and WX). I quickly looked over the WX and alternates. I failed to confirm the tail number on the release and therefore left in aircraft XXX instead of YYY -- the aircraft on the release. It was not brought to our attention until we reached ord that we were in the wrong aircraft. I have learned a good lesson from this situation. I will never leave (take off) without thoroughly reviewing the entire release.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CREW FLEW THE INCORRECT ACFT. CREW WAS UNAWARE UNTIL ARR AT DEST.

Narrative: UPON ARRIVING AT THE SPW ARPT, I ASKED BOTH STATION AGENTS AND MAINT PERSONNEL WHICH ACFT WAS GOING TO BE USED ON THIS FLT. BOTH THE AGENTS AND MAINT TOLD ME THAT ACFT XXX WAS GOING TO BE RELEASED FOR THE FLT. THE DISPATCH RELEASE HAD NOT BEEN SENT TO THE STATION AT THIS TIME. I THOROUGHLY PREFLTED THE ACFT. THE CAPT CAME OUT TO THE AIRPLANE WITH THE PAPERWORK (DISPATCH RELEASE AND WX). I QUICKLY LOOKED OVER THE WX AND ALTERNATES. I FAILED TO CONFIRM THE TAIL NUMBER ON THE RELEASE AND THEREFORE LEFT IN ACFT XXX INSTEAD OF YYY -- THE ACFT ON THE RELEASE. IT WAS NOT BROUGHT TO OUR ATTN UNTIL WE REACHED ORD THAT WE WERE IN THE WRONG ACFT. I HAVE LEARNED A GOOD LESSON FROM THIS SIT. I WILL NEVER LEAVE (TAKE OFF) WITHOUT THOROUGHLY REVIEWING THE ENTIRE RELEASE.

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.