Narrative:

The clearance delivery frequency was very busy due to backlog of WX delays. The flight data specialist was reading several clrncs at the same time with little or no acknowledgement after clearance or transponder squawk readback. The frequency was very congested and several calls were blocked by other aircraft calling for clrncs. Our clearance was given after a patient wait 'xyz 6c8...squawk code 1234'. The first officer read back the transponder code (local procedure at stl ATC) followed by our call sign 'xyz 6c8'. The controller replied 'clearance correct xyz 6f8' and called another aircraft for readback. The first officer made a call to correct 6f8 to 6c8 (we have no flight 6f8), but the controller never acknowledged the correction. We went from meter, to ground, to tower, to departure, with no problems at all with our correct call sign. On departure, the controller stated 'I don't have your paperwork, what's your destination and first fix?' we gave it to him and we were cleared on course. We both wondered if the original call sign error had caused this problem. I called the TRACON supervisor and explained the scenario and he stated that they had been having data tube blocks all morning from the tower cabin attendant to our departure frequency sector in the radar room below. The tower personnel had confirmed that the flight data strip had to have the correct flight number on it, to be passed along without question. For my own peace of mind in the future, I'll grin and bear it to ensure the correction is received no matter how congested the frequency is. Factors: 1) congested frequency. 2) suspect controller training in progress. 3) better clearance delivery procedures needed to adequately handle peak traffic periods. 4) human factors: controllers and flight crew.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG DEPARTED STL WITHOUT CORRECTING CONFUSION ABOUT ACFT IDENTIFICATION.

Narrative: THE CLRNC DELIVERY FREQ WAS VERY BUSY DUE TO BACKLOG OF WX DELAYS. THE FLT DATA SPECIALIST WAS READING SEVERAL CLRNCS AT THE SAME TIME WITH LITTLE OR NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AFTER CLRNC OR XPONDER SQUAWK READBACK. THE FREQ WAS VERY CONGESTED AND SEVERAL CALLS WERE BLOCKED BY OTHER ACFT CALLING FOR CLRNCS. OUR CLRNC WAS GIVEN AFTER A PATIENT WAIT 'XYZ 6C8...SQUAWK CODE 1234'. THE F/O READ BACK THE XPONDER CODE (LOCAL PROC AT STL ATC) FOLLOWED BY OUR CALL SIGN 'XYZ 6C8'. THE CTLR REPLIED 'CLRNC CORRECT XYZ 6F8' AND CALLED ANOTHER ACFT FOR READBACK. THE F/O MADE A CALL TO CORRECT 6F8 TO 6C8 (WE HAVE NO FLT 6F8), BUT THE CTLR NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED THE CORRECTION. WE WENT FROM METER, TO GND, TO TWR, TO DEP, WITH NO PROBLEMS AT ALL WITH OUR CORRECT CALL SIGN. ON DEP, THE CTLR STATED 'I DON'T HAVE YOUR PAPERWORK, WHAT'S YOUR DEST AND FIRST FIX?' WE GAVE IT TO HIM AND WE WERE CLRED ON COURSE. WE BOTH WONDERED IF THE ORIGINAL CALL SIGN ERROR HAD CAUSED THIS PROBLEM. I CALLED THE TRACON SUPVR AND EXPLAINED THE SCENARIO AND HE STATED THAT THEY HAD BEEN HAVING DATA TUBE BLOCKS ALL MORNING FROM THE TWR CAB TO OUR DEP FREQ SECTOR IN THE RADAR ROOM BELOW. THE TWR PERSONNEL HAD CONFIRMED THAT THE FLT DATA STRIP HAD TO HAVE THE CORRECT FLT NUMBER ON IT, TO BE PASSED ALONG WITHOUT QUESTION. FOR MY OWN PEACE OF MIND IN THE FUTURE, I'LL GRIN AND BEAR IT TO ENSURE THE CORRECTION IS RECEIVED NO MATTER HOW CONGESTED THE FREQ IS. FACTORS: 1) CONGESTED FREQ. 2) SUSPECT CTLR TRAINING IN PROGRESS. 3) BETTER CLRNC DELIVERY PROCS NEEDED TO ADEQUATELY HANDLE PEAK TFC PERIODS. 4) HUMAN FACTORS: CTLRS AND FLT CREW.

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.