Late change of runways on approach to atl. Similar call signs, same company.

Attributes
ACN	121190
Time
Date	198908
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl tower : mdw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 135 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 125
ASRS Report	121190
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	120998
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On approach to atl, we were given vectors through the final approach course to runway 8L. After crossing the course a different voice (monitor?) advised us to change to an ILS 9R approach. With the late change, obvious controller confusion and retuning radios, we wound up between the 2 courses just outside the OM. The tower controller advised us to turn to intercept the final course about 2 mi outside of the OM. We believe the flight director had captured the proper ILS course, then returned to armed only when the FMS was reset to agree with the landing runway (already set on the ILS receivers). A contributing factor to the confusion and runway change was the probability the controller mistook us for a flight with a similar call sign. We thought the other flight was behind us, but he was vectored to the final approach before us. The confusion of the flts was suspected by the other flight as evidenced by their questioning whom the vectors were for.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LATE CHANGE OF RWYS ON APCH TO ATL. SIMILAR CALL SIGNS, SAME COMPANY.

Narrative: ON APCH TO ATL, WE WERE GIVEN VECTORS THROUGH THE FINAL APCH COURSE TO RWY 8L. AFTER XING THE COURSE A DIFFERENT VOICE (MONITOR?) ADVISED US TO CHANGE TO AN ILS 9R APCH. WITH THE LATE CHANGE, OBVIOUS CTLR CONFUSION AND RETUNING RADIOS, WE WOUND UP BTWN THE 2 COURSES JUST OUTSIDE THE OM. THE TWR CTLR ADVISED US TO TURN TO INTERCEPT THE FINAL COURSE ABOUT 2 MI OUTSIDE OF THE OM. WE BELIEVE THE FLT DIRECTOR HAD CAPTURED THE PROPER ILS COURSE, THEN RETURNED TO ARMED ONLY WHEN THE FMS WAS RESET TO AGREE WITH THE LNDG RWY (ALREADY SET ON THE ILS RECEIVERS). A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE CONFUSION AND RWY CHANGE WAS THE PROBABILITY THE CTLR MISTOOK US FOR A FLT WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN. WE THOUGHT THE OTHER FLT WAS BEHIND US, BUT HE WAS VECTORED TO THE FINAL APCH BEFORE US. THE CONFUSION OF THE FLTS WAS SUSPECTED BY THE OTHER FLT AS EVIDENCED BY THEIR QUESTIONING WHOM THE VECTORS WERE FOR.

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.