Narrative:

Received clearance from spg ATCT 'cleared to pbi, heading 270 degrees after departure, climb and maintain 1600 ft....' taxied at XA48, takeoff XA56, turned right (shortest turn) and tower yelled at me I should have turned right as cleared (I checked my written clearance which I had read back -- no direction of turn specified) and that I was entering another's airspace (whose?) and to make a fast turn over airport and then turn left. I did not argue with the controller as he was irate and ranting. Switched over to departure -- all ok until cruise and then descent (short trip). 2 other aircraft, call signs abcde and bbcde (I was bcde) came up on the frequency and ATC (center) started screwing up royally -- only using the last 3 and was sending aircraft the wrong way and altitude. When questioned, his tone rose and still kept using only the last 3 digits. After one of the others (a falcon jet) was sent the wrong way and descended prematurely (not noticed by the controller) that pilot angrily demanded that the controller use the full call sign and get his aircraft and instructions correct. After a brief silence the controller complied and started sending everyone the right way although the falcon had to stay at 3000 ft for an additional 40 mi or so. I didn't land until XC48 as a result. The result of this ATC sloppiness could have been tragic. Fortunately, it wasn't but controllers should know (must do!) that they are not infallible and should be alert for similar call signs (they usually are) and use full call signs as necessary.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BEECH 90 PLT EXPERIENCES ATC CTLR CONFUSION OVER CLRNCS GIVEN TO THE WRONG ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. PROB CAUSED BY CTLR NOT USING THE COMPLETE CALL SIGN OF 3 ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS.

Narrative: RECEIVED CLRNC FROM SPG ATCT 'CLRED TO PBI, HDG 270 DEGS AFTER DEP, CLB AND MAINTAIN 1600 FT....' TAXIED AT XA48, TKOF XA56, TURNED R (SHORTEST TURN) AND TWR YELLED AT ME I SHOULD HAVE TURNED R AS CLRED (I CHKED MY WRITTEN CLRNC WHICH I HAD READ BACK -- NO DIRECTION OF TURN SPECIFIED) AND THAT I WAS ENTERING ANOTHER'S AIRSPACE (WHOSE?) AND TO MAKE A FAST TURN OVER ARPT AND THEN TURN L. I DID NOT ARGUE WITH THE CTLR AS HE WAS IRATE AND RANTING. SWITCHED OVER TO DEP -- ALL OK UNTIL CRUISE AND THEN DSCNT (SHORT TRIP). 2 OTHER ACFT, CALL SIGNS ABCDE AND BBCDE (I WAS BCDE) CAME UP ON THE FREQ AND ATC (CTR) STARTED SCREWING UP ROYALLY -- ONLY USING THE LAST 3 AND WAS SENDING ACFT THE WRONG WAY AND ALT. WHEN QUESTIONED, HIS TONE ROSE AND STILL KEPT USING ONLY THE LAST 3 DIGITS. AFTER ONE OF THE OTHERS (A FALCON JET) WAS SENT THE WRONG WAY AND DSNDED PREMATURELY (NOT NOTICED BY THE CTLR) THAT PLT ANGRILY DEMANDED THAT THE CTLR USE THE FULL CALL SIGN AND GET HIS ACFT AND INSTRUCTIONS CORRECT. AFTER A BRIEF SILENCE THE CTLR COMPLIED AND STARTED SENDING EVERYONE THE RIGHT WAY ALTHOUGH THE FALCON HAD TO STAY AT 3000 FT FOR AN ADDITIONAL 40 MI OR SO. I DIDN'T LAND UNTIL XC48 AS A RESULT. THE RESULT OF THIS ATC SLOPPINESS COULD HAVE BEEN TRAGIC. FORTUNATELY, IT WASN'T BUT CTLRS SHOULD KNOW (MUST DO!) THAT THEY ARE NOT INFALLIBLE AND SHOULD BE ALERT FOR SIMILAR CALL SIGNS (THEY USUALLY ARE) AND USE FULL CALL SIGNS AS NECESSARY.

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.