<< >> NASA ASRS Report 730544, March 2007

C90 controller expressed concern regarding similar call signs citing several close calls and one operational error because of call sign similarities.

Attributes
ACN	730544
Time
Date	200703
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 11000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Experience	controller military : 3 controller radar : 22 controller time certified in position1 : 9
ASRS Report	73054
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company FAA
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

I was vectoring ord arrs at the west arrival position. It wasn't a full blown rush; but there was enough traffic for a third runway to be used. In the middle of this busy period; I had 6 arrs with similar call signs. The OM and flm both advised me that they would make a log entry; but that nothing would probably ever get done to fix this ongoing problem with the call signs. I know of several close calls and at least 1 operational error that have occurred in the last yr. These situations are a direct result of the call sign similarities. Just looking at the call signs and saying them out loud make you think that they aren't very similar at all. When you have to say these call signs and then listen closely for the correct aircraft to read back the information; things sound extremely similar. I'm sure it's the same for the pilots involved. Suggestion: eliminate similar call signs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C90 CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING SIMILAR CALL SIGNS CITING SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS AND ONE OPERROR BECAUSE OF CALL SIGN SIMILARITIES.

Narrative: I WAS VECTORING ORD ARRS AT THE W ARR POS. IT WASN'T A FULL BLOWN RUSH; BUT THERE WAS ENOUGH TFC FOR A THIRD RWY TO BE USED. IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS BUSY PERIOD; I HAD 6 ARRS WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. THE OM AND FLM BOTH ADVISED ME THAT THEY WOULD MAKE A LOG ENTRY; BUT THAT NOTHING WOULD PROBABLY EVER GET DONE TO FIX THIS ONGOING PROB WITH THE CALL SIGNS. I KNOW OF SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS AND AT LEAST 1 OPERROR THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE LAST YR. THESE SITUATIONS ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF THE CALL SIGN SIMILARITIES. JUST LOOKING AT THE CALL SIGNS AND SAYING THEM OUT LOUD MAKE YOU THINK THAT THEY AREN'T VERY SIMILAR AT ALL. WHEN YOU HAVE TO SAY THESE CALL SIGNS AND THEN LISTEN CLOSELY FOR THE CORRECT ACFT TO READ BACK THE INFO; THINGS SOUND EXTREMELY SIMILAR. I'M SURE IT'S THE SAME FOR THE PLTS INVOLVED. SUGGESTION: ELIMINATE SIMILAR CALL SIGNS.

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.