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ARTCC controller got confused with similar aircraft call signs and cleared wrong aircraft to climb but saw his mistake and corrected it before the wrong aircraft had climbed too far.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 89084 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198806 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : cys |
| State Reference | WY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 20300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdv tower : ewr |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zdv |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 360 |
| ASRS Report | 88084 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
The classic confusion with aircraft call signs used by the same company for flts departing during the same banks in the same airspace. This time the controller confused the call signs. We were medium large transport (gea) ATC issued a climb for us from FL200 to FL230. The clearance was read back and the readback emphasized the flight number, ie, 'medium large transport gee EEE aye, out of 2-0-0 for 2-3-0.' we started our climb and at approximately 20300' the controller corrected himself and said, 'medium large transport (gga) climb and maintain 230--medium large transport (gea) maintain FL200.' we immediately corrected back to FL200. No further discussion about this problem was exchanged between either aircraft and ATC. The 2 flts involved were: medium large transport (gea) den-cpr--departs den at XA10 mdt, and medium large transport (gga) den-rap--departs den at XA05 mdt. Both aircraft on ATC, den, frequency 124.8. I emphasize that this was a controller error. Not that I haven't made the same mistake before myself, and we all know of many other reports of the same problem. Just add this one to the growing list. We talked with the other flight crew and they confirmed our version of what happened.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ARTCC CTLR GOT CONFUSED WITH SIMILAR ACFT CALL SIGNS AND CLEARED WRONG ACFT TO CLIMB BUT SAW HIS MISTAKE AND CORRECTED IT BEFORE THE WRONG ACFT HAD CLIMBED TOO FAR.
Narrative: THE CLASSIC CONFUSION WITH ACFT CALL SIGNS USED BY THE SAME COMPANY FOR FLTS DEPARTING DURING THE SAME BANKS IN THE SAME AIRSPACE. THIS TIME THE CTLR CONFUSED THE CALL SIGNS. WE WERE MLG (GEA) ATC ISSUED A CLB FOR US FROM FL200 TO FL230. THE CLRNC WAS READ BACK AND THE READBACK EMPHASIZED THE FLT NUMBER, IE, 'MLG GEE EEE AYE, OUT OF 2-0-0 FOR 2-3-0.' WE STARTED OUR CLB AND AT APPROX 20300' THE CTLR CORRECTED HIMSELF AND SAID, 'MLG (GGA) CLB AND MAINTAIN 230--MLG (GEA) MAINTAIN FL200.' WE IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED BACK TO FL200. NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS PROB WAS EXCHANGED BTWN EITHER ACFT AND ATC. THE 2 FLTS INVOLVED WERE: MLG (GEA) DEN-CPR--DEPARTS DEN AT XA10 MDT, AND MLG (GGA) DEN-RAP--DEPARTS DEN AT XA05 MDT. BOTH ACFT ON ATC, DEN, FREQ 124.8. I EMPHASIZE THAT THIS WAS A CTLR ERROR. NOT THAT I HAVEN'T MADE THE SAME MISTAKE BEFORE MYSELF, AND WE ALL KNOW OF MANY OTHER RPTS OF THE SAME PROB. JUST ADD THIS ONE TO THE GROWING LIST. WE TALKED WITH THE OTHER FLT CREW AND THEY CONFIRMED OUR VERSION OF WHAT HAPPENED.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.