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ZLA controller described similar call sign incident that resulted in the wrong aircraft starting a descent.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 679384 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200511 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : bld.vortac |
| State Reference | NV |
| Altitude | msl single value : 38000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : vacating altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 27 |
| ASRS Report | 679384 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
While controling air carrier Y bcb (#2) by hec VOR; air carrier X bcb checked in (#1). Neither myself nor assistant realized the similar call sign. Air carrier Y was issued descent to FL250 from FL280. The readback was out of FL380 for FL250 bcb. No company in the call sign. Later air carrier Y questioned the clearance. Air carrier X was observed leaving FL375 descending and was told to maintain FL360. After listening to the recording 80% of aircraft readbacks were just numbers with no company. We were lucky this time. This is a system-wide problem that needs to be addressed.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZLA CTLR DESCRIBED SIMILAR CALL SIGN INCIDENT THAT RESULTED IN THE WRONG ACFT STARTING A DSCNT.
Narrative: WHILE CTLING ACR Y BCB (#2) BY HEC VOR; ACR X BCB CHKED IN (#1). NEITHER MYSELF NOR ASSISTANT REALIZED THE SIMILAR CALL SIGN. ACR Y WAS ISSUED DSCNT TO FL250 FROM FL280. THE READBACK WAS OUT OF FL380 FOR FL250 BCB. NO COMPANY IN THE CALL SIGN. LATER ACR Y QUESTIONED THE CLRNC. ACR X WAS OBSERVED LEAVING FL375 DSNDING AND WAS TOLD TO MAINTAIN FL360. AFTER LISTENING TO THE RECORDING 80% OF ACFT READBACKS WERE JUST NUMBERS WITH NO COMPANY. WE WERE LUCKY THIS TIME. THIS IS A SYS-WIDE PROB THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.