3 flts, same company, similar flight identifiers. All on approach at the same time.

Attributes
ACN	109199
Time
Date	198904
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 230
ASRS Report	109199
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	109223
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On approach with ord TRACON, descending. Several company flight #'south similar to our own. Xxy was our flight, yxx was ahead of us, and xxz was behind. I was working the radios. Realizing the potential problems with the flight, I was reading back our flight # phonetically. Xxz was also reading back phonetically. I was reading the #'south back very slowly and the clrncs. We were given several dscnts, first from 10000 to 8000', then to 6000, then to 4000'. Each time I was very careful to read back the descent clearance and airline xxy. You could tell that the controller was also trying to avoid any mix up. I distinctly remember reading back clearance to 4000'. While we were passing 5500' controller asked for verification of altitude. We told him 4000'. He said, 'no,' and instructed us to level at 5000'. We so complied. Controller didn't make any further comments. The controller was very busy. With such similar flight #'south it is no wonder that there was a problem. We (airline) should realign our flight so this will not happen again. The controller's job at ord TRACON is tough enough.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 3 FLTS, SAME COMPANY, SIMILAR FLT IDENTIFIERS. ALL ON APCH AT THE SAME TIME.

Narrative: ON APCH WITH ORD TRACON, DSNDING. SEVERAL COMPANY FLT #'S SIMILAR TO OUR OWN. XXY WAS OUR FLT, YXX WAS AHEAD OF US, AND XXZ WAS BEHIND. I WAS WORKING THE RADIOS. REALIZING THE POTENTIAL PROBS WITH THE FLT, I WAS READING BACK OUR FLT # PHONETICALLY. XXZ WAS ALSO READING BACK PHONETICALLY. I WAS READING THE #'S BACK VERY SLOWLY AND THE CLRNCS. WE WERE GIVEN SEVERAL DSCNTS, FIRST FROM 10000 TO 8000', THEN TO 6000, THEN TO 4000'. EACH TIME I WAS VERY CAREFUL TO READ BACK THE DSCNT CLRNC AND AIRLINE XXY. YOU COULD TELL THAT THE CTLR WAS ALSO TRYING TO AVOID ANY MIX UP. I DISTINCTLY REMEMBER READING BACK CLRNC TO 4000'. WHILE WE WERE PASSING 5500' CTLR ASKED FOR VERIFICATION OF ALT. WE TOLD HIM 4000'. HE SAID, 'NO,' AND INSTRUCTED US TO LEVEL AT 5000'. WE SO COMPLIED. CTLR DIDN'T MAKE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY. WITH SUCH SIMILAR FLT #'S IT IS NO WONDER THAT THERE WAS A PROB. WE (AIRLINE) SHOULD REALIGN OUR FLT SO THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. THE CTLR'S JOB AT ORD TRACON IS TOUGH ENOUGH.

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.