Company name often dropped during communication with ATC resulting in confusion for the reporter.

Attributes
ACN	103543
Time
Date	198901
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dtw
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 7
ASRS Report	103543
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Air carrier has a flight X000 from ind (I think) to dtw at approximately XX30 am daily. Pilots flying this trip often drop the company identify in radio communications. This leads to confusion, especially when I (as a controller) am busy. When I issue a descent clearance, the readback from this crew (probably 10-20% of the time) often will be 'roger, down to 3000, X thousand.' even a momentary lapse in concentration can cause one ot think 'did he read back three thousand or X thousand?' to correct this problem, I think all the air carriers (and commuters) should immediately stop using trip numbers ending in 000. If not, someday somebody will accidentally descend to X000. Hopefully, the airport elevation will be below X000'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMPANY NAME OFTEN DROPPED DURING COM WITH ATC RESULTING IN CONFUSION FOR THE REPORTER.

Narrative: ACR HAS A FLT X000 FROM IND (I THINK) TO DTW AT APPROX XX30 AM DAILY. PLTS FLYING THIS TRIP OFTEN DROP THE COMPANY IDENT IN RADIO COMS. THIS LEADS TO CONFUSION, ESPECIALLY WHEN I (AS A CTLR) AM BUSY. WHEN I ISSUE A DSCNT CLRNC, THE READBACK FROM THIS CREW (PROBABLY 10-20% OF THE TIME) OFTEN WILL BE 'ROGER, DOWN TO 3000, X THOUSAND.' EVEN A MOMENTARY LAPSE IN CONCENTRATION CAN CAUSE ONE OT THINK 'DID HE READ BACK THREE THOUSAND OR X THOUSAND?' TO CORRECT THIS PROB, I THINK ALL THE AIR CARRIERS (AND COMMUTERS) SHOULD IMMEDIATELY STOP USING TRIP NUMBERS ENDING IN 000. IF NOT, SOMEDAY SOMEBODY WILL ACCIDENTALLY DSND TO X000. HOPEFULLY, THE AIRPORT ELEVATION WILL BE BELOW X000'.

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.