ZBW radar controller failed to verify a garbled readback resulting in a loss of separation.

Attributes
ACN	602896
Time
Date	200312
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zbw.artcc
State Reference	NH
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-31T-1 Cheyenne I
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	602896
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar/mode c other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

While working a low altitude center sector -- surface to 17000 ft -- an inbound (arrival) rush to albany, ny, involving 8 aircraft total 3 of which call signs abcd, AB63 and abed. I issued a clearance to abfd, got a garbled readback, and as it turns out abed took the clearance. I missed the readback error and by the time I corrected the situation, abed descended and separation was lost. Not trying to shake responsibility, I think similar call signs were a factor. A simple fix but companies seems unwilling to help out the controller work force by having more unique or random call signs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZBW RADAR CTLR FAILED TO VERIFY A GARBLED READBACK RESULTING IN A LOSS OF SEPARATION.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING A LOW ALT CTR SECTOR -- SURFACE TO 17000 FT -- AN INBOUND (ARR) RUSH TO ALBANY, NY, INVOLVING 8 ACFT TOTAL 3 OF WHICH CALL SIGNS ABCD, AB63 AND ABED. I ISSUED A CLRNC TO ABFD, GOT A GARBLED READBACK, AND AS IT TURNS OUT ABED TOOK THE CLRNC. I MISSED THE READBACK ERROR AND BY THE TIME I CORRECTED THE SIT, ABED DSNDED AND SEPARATION WAS LOST. NOT TRYING TO SHAKE RESPONSIBILITY, I THINK SIMILAR CALL SIGNS WERE A FACTOR. A SIMPLE FIX BUT COMPANIES SEEMS UNWILLING TO HELP OUT THE CTLR WORK FORCE BY HAVING MORE UNIQUE OR RANDOM CALL SIGNS.

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.