An MD11 flight crew took a clearance for a company aircraft and was corrected by ind TRACON.

Attributes
ACN	629693
Time
Date	200409
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ind.airport
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ind.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : indy.2
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ind.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 3300
ASRS Report	629693
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 14
ASRS Report	629841
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

The indy 2 departure was used for takeoff on runway 23L on a 210 degree heading 4000 ft climbing to 5000 ft. Departure called air carrier X turn left to 140 degrees and climb to 6000 ft. All of the crew believed that call was for us. Approximately 1 min later departure said that the heading was for air carrier Y and turn back to the right. Causes: the 140 degree heading was in line to our first fix. The departures out of indy were light. Air carrier Y must have taken off 4-5 mins earlier. I did not realize air carrier Y was that close to us on departure and similar call signs can cause confusion. During critical phase of flight verify call sign from departure (ATC). Also when the clearance was read back the controller did not catch the mistake.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD11 FLT CREW TOOK A CLRNC FOR A COMPANY ACFT AND WAS CORRECTED BY IND TRACON.

Narrative: THE INDY 2 DEP WAS USED FOR TKOF ON RWY 23L ON A 210 DEG HDG 4000 FT CLBING TO 5000 FT. DEP CALLED ACR X TURN L TO 140 DEGS AND CLB TO 6000 FT. ALL OF THE CREW BELIEVED THAT CALL WAS FOR US. APPROX 1 MIN LATER DEP SAID THAT THE HDG WAS FOR ACR Y AND TURN BACK TO THE R. CAUSES: THE 140 DEG HDG WAS IN LINE TO OUR FIRST FIX. THE DEPS OUT OF INDY WERE LIGHT. ACR Y MUST HAVE TAKEN OFF 4-5 MINS EARLIER. I DID NOT REALIZE ACR Y WAS THAT CLOSE TO US ON DEP AND SIMILAR CALL SIGNS CAN CAUSE CONFUSION. DURING CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT VERIFY CALL SIGN FROM DEP (ATC). ALSO WHEN THE CLRNC WAS READ BACK THE CTLR DID NOT CATCH THE MISTAKE.

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.