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Ind approach controller and flight crews of aircraft with similar sounding call signs conspire to create an altitude separation incident.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 602273 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200311 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | intersection : karyl |
| State Reference | OH |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 26000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zid.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change descent : vacating altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : j30.airway |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zid.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 : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 215 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 1200 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18893 flight time type : 13096 |
| ASRS Report | 601279 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : separated traffic controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Similar call sign incident. Our aircraft, air carrier X, was cruising at FL270. Captain (PNF) acknowledged clearance from ZID to descend to FL260. First officer (PF) confirmed FL260 and then began descent. Descending through FL267, ZID requested our altitude, we replied descending from FL270 to FL260. Center then instructed us to maintain FL270, the clearance was for another aircraft. Air carrier Y was then told to maintain FL240. After reestablishing at FL270, our TCASII indicated opposing traffic 13 NM on our nose descending from FL260, the nearest aircraft to our position. Aircraft separation was never compromised. We queried ZID if there had been a (separation) problem, and they replied, 'no problem.' our company altitude awareness procedures were used in both pilots confirming each new altitude. I am not sure whether it was our mistake or the controller's, but I do know that indy had not mentioned that there were similar call signs on frequency. ZID controller recognized the mix-up immediately and issued timely, emphatic instructions to maintain separation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: IND APCH CTLR AND FLT CREWS OF ACFT WITH SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS CONSPIRE TO CREATE AN ALT SEPARATION INCIDENT.
Narrative: SIMILAR CALL SIGN INCIDENT. OUR ACFT, ACR X, WAS CRUISING AT FL270. CAPT (PNF) ACKNOWLEDGED CLRNC FROM ZID TO DSND TO FL260. FO (PF) CONFIRMED FL260 AND THEN BEGAN DSCNT. DSNDING THROUGH FL267, ZID REQUESTED OUR ALT, WE REPLIED DSNDING FROM FL270 TO FL260. CTR THEN INSTRUCTED US TO MAINTAIN FL270, THE CLRNC WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT. ACR Y WAS THEN TOLD TO MAINTAIN FL240. AFTER REESTABLISHING AT FL270, OUR TCASII INDICATED OPPOSING TFC 13 NM ON OUR NOSE DSNDING FROM FL260, THE NEAREST ACFT TO OUR POS. ACFT SEPARATION WAS NEVER COMPROMISED. WE QUERIED ZID IF THERE HAD BEEN A (SEPARATION) PROB, AND THEY REPLIED, 'NO PROB.' OUR COMPANY ALT AWARENESS PROCS WERE USED IN BOTH PLTS CONFIRMING EACH NEW ALT. I AM NOT SURE WHETHER IT WAS OUR MISTAKE OR THE CTLR'S, BUT I DO KNOW THAT INDY HAD NOT MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE SIMILAR CALL SIGNS ON FREQ. ZID CTLR RECOGNIZED THE MIX-UP IMMEDIATELY AND ISSUED TIMELY, EMPHATIC INSTRUCTIONS TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION.
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.