Similar sounding flight numbers create an altitude problem on approach for air carrier aircraft and results in another set of vectors for another approach.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	122992
Time
Date	198909
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other 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 : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 19500 flight time type : 6700
ASRS Report	122992
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

We were being vectored for an ILS to 4L at ewr. We were at 6000', and as usual, the nyc area was busy. After several turns, we were finally turned onto the localizer for 4L, but we were still at 6000'. The controller suddenly asked us to verify our altitude. We confirmed our altitude as 6000'. He apparently thought he had previously given us a lower altitude. There was another company aircraft on the frequency called dbc and our number was flight abc. I believe the controller forgot that we were at the altitude we were at. We had been aware of the other similar flight number and we were listening very carefully. I'm sure we did not miss a call. At any rate, we had to be vectored back out for a new sequence. This kind of thing happens every day due to heavy controller loads that in my opinion, is not safe. I blame deregulation and the government's lack of committment to update the system.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SIMILAR SOUNDING FLT NUMBERS CREATE AN ALT PROBLEM ON APCH FOR ACR ACFT AND RESULTS IN ANOTHER SET OF VECTORS FOR ANOTHER APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR AN ILS TO 4L AT EWR. WE WERE AT 6000', AND AS USUAL, THE NYC AREA WAS BUSY. AFTER SEVERAL TURNS, WE WERE FINALLY TURNED ONTO THE LOC FOR 4L, BUT WE WERE STILL AT 6000'. THE CTLR SUDDENLY ASKED US TO VERIFY OUR ALT. WE CONFIRMED OUR ALT AS 6000'. HE APPARENTLY THOUGHT HE HAD PREVIOUSLY GIVEN US A LOWER ALT. THERE WAS ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT ON THE FREQ CALLED DBC AND OUR NUMBER WAS FLT ABC. I BELIEVE THE CTLR FORGOT THAT WE WERE AT THE ALT WE WERE AT. WE HAD BEEN AWARE OF THE OTHER SIMILAR FLT NUMBER AND WE WERE LISTENING VERY CAREFULLY. I'M SURE WE DID NOT MISS A CALL. AT ANY RATE, WE HAD TO BE VECTORED BACK OUT FOR A NEW SEQUENCE. THIS KIND OF THING HAPPENS EVERY DAY DUE TO HEAVY CTLR LOADS THAT IN MY OPINION, IS NOT SAFE. I BLAME DEREGULATION AND THE GOVERNMENT'S LACK OF COMMITTMENT TO UPDATE THE SYSTEM.

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.