 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
ARTCC radar controller at ZME transposes call signs causing an A320 to start descent and conflict with a company aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 531183 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200111 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : gqe.vor |
| State Reference | AR |
| Altitude | msl single value : 32000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zme.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other other vortac |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zme.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7900 flight time type : 1800 |
| ASRS Report | 531183 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : took evasive action none taken : detected after the fact |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 18000 vertical : 800 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
While at FL330, aircraft received clearance to descend to FL270. At approximately FL320 we received a TA via TCASII. 200 ft later we received an RA to climb. We complied and after receiving a clear of conflict we questioned ATC regarding the conflict. The controller said the descent had been for air carrier Y. We climbed back to FL330 and heard the controller give the descent to air carrier Y again. During the subsequent arrival there were several cases where the call signs were incorrectly used by ATC. We called ZME on arrival and were told the controller had incorrectly 'transposed' the call signs. There are numerous occasions where several arriving aircraft have very similar flight numbers assigned. I suggest that flight numbers be studied and be reassigned to help avoid similar events.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR AT ZME TRANSPOSES CALL SIGNS CAUSING AN A320 TO START DSCNT AND CONFLICT WITH A COMPANY ACFT.
Narrative: WHILE AT FL330, ACFT RECEIVED CLRNC TO DSND TO FL270. AT APPROX FL320 WE RECEIVED A TA VIA TCASII. 200 FT LATER WE RECEIVED AN RA TO CLB. WE COMPLIED AND AFTER RECEIVING A CLR OF CONFLICT WE QUESTIONED ATC REGARDING THE CONFLICT. THE CTLR SAID THE DSCNT HAD BEEN FOR ACR Y. WE CLBED BACK TO FL330 AND HEARD THE CTLR GIVE THE DSCNT TO ACR Y AGAIN. DURING THE SUBSEQUENT ARR THERE WERE SEVERAL CASES WHERE THE CALL SIGNS WERE INCORRECTLY USED BY ATC. WE CALLED ZME ON ARR AND WERE TOLD THE CTLR HAD INCORRECTLY 'TRANSPOSED' THE CALL SIGNS. THERE ARE NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHERE SEVERAL ARRIVING ACFT HAVE VERY SIMILAR FLT NUMBERS ASSIGNED. I SUGGEST THAT FLT NUMBERS BE STUDIED AND BE REASSIGNED TO HELP AVOID SIMILAR EVENTS.
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.