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A ZMP controller described a pilot deviation event in which a company aircraft initiated a descent issued to another company aircraft with a similar four digit number.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 871022 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201001 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZMP.ARTCC |
| State Reference | MN |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Medium Transport |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Descent |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Qualification | Air Traffic Control Fully Certified |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types |
Narrative:
I issued a descent clearance to air carrier xyyx; descend and maintain FL250. Air carrier xxyx took the clearance and descended out of FL320. I caught it out of FL316 and took corrective action. No other aircraft involved or even close to air carrier xxyx. Note: in the past few weeks we have had numerous aircraft with similar sounding call signs. I had three different air carriers all with ZZZW for their numbers last week. This potential problem seems to be getting worse. Recommend that companies be asked to use a different call sign program.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A ZMP Controller described a pilot deviation event in which a company aircraft initiated a descent issued to another company aircraft with a similar four digit number.
Narrative: I issued a descent clearance to Air Carrier XYYX; descend and maintain FL250. Air Carrier XXYX took the clearance and descended out of FL320. I caught it out of FL316 and took corrective action. No other aircraft involved or even close to Air Carrier XXYX. Note: In the past few weeks we have had NUMEROUS aircraft with similar sounding call signs. I had THREE different Air Carriers all with ZZZW for their numbers last week. This potential problem seems to be getting worse. Recommend that companies be asked to use a different call sign program.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.