E120 crew had controller readback hearback problems with flight with similar call signs.

Attributes
ACN	495896
Time
Date	200012
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : eca.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sck.tracon tracon : o90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sck.tracon tracon : o90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 5500
ASRS Report	495896
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Company ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

During cruise flight, the first officer and I both heard sck approach call our flight number and switch us over to bay approach. I acknowledged, switched over, and checked in with bay approach. The bay controller gave us a heading to join a radial from sfo, which I read back to him. Then another one of our flts with a similar sounding number checked in on frequency. The controller sounded confused, and thought the other flight had checked in already. The controller then told us that we had taken the other flight's handoff and that the sequence was now fouled up. He turned us out to follow our company that checked in behind us. No big deal, really. I don't think my first officer and I made a mistake -- we're 99% sure we took the handoff correctly. But if we did take the handoff for another flight by mistake, I know for a fact that we read any further clrncs back with our correct flight number. In that case, the controller should have caught any errors by actually listening to our readbacks.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E120 CREW HAD CTLR READBACK HEARBACK PROBS WITH FLT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS.

Narrative: DURING CRUISE FLT, THE FO AND I BOTH HEARD SCK APCH CALL OUR FLT NUMBER AND SWITCH US OVER TO BAY APCH. I ACKNOWLEDGED, SWITCHED OVER, AND CHKED IN WITH BAY APCH. THE BAY CTLR GAVE US A HDG TO JOIN A RADIAL FROM SFO, WHICH I READ BACK TO HIM. THEN ANOTHER ONE OF OUR FLTS WITH A SIMILAR SOUNDING NUMBER CHKED IN ON FREQ. THE CTLR SOUNDED CONFUSED, AND THOUGHT THE OTHER FLT HAD CHKED IN ALREADY. THE CTLR THEN TOLD US THAT WE HAD TAKEN THE OTHER FLT'S HDOF AND THAT THE SEQUENCE WAS NOW FOULED UP. HE TURNED US OUT TO FOLLOW OUR COMPANY THAT CHKED IN BEHIND US. NO BIG DEAL, REALLY. I DON'T THINK MY FO AND I MADE A MISTAKE -- WE'RE 99% SURE WE TOOK THE HDOF CORRECTLY. BUT IF WE DID TAKE THE HDOF FOR ANOTHER FLT BY MISTAKE, I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT WE READ ANY FURTHER CLRNCS BACK WITH OUR CORRECT FLT NUMBER. IN THAT CASE, THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT ANY ERRORS BY ACTUALLY LISTENING TO OUR READBACKS.

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.