Cpr mdt clearance response to wrong call sign.

Attributes
ACN	124069
Time
Date	198910
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdw
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Medium Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 20200 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	124069
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

We departed kmdw, climbed to our assigned altitude 3000' and turned left to a 260 heading, contacted departure control. About 2 mins later we heard departure call us icaf change heading, and another aircraft acknowledged our call. The other aircraft was told the call wasn't for him. We (I) then asked departure control if there was another aircraft with a similar call sign and was told yes, an small aircraft xxxaf was on the frequency. My copilot took a heading and altitude change, reading it back with our call sign icaf. The controller continued working other aircraft as I started the turn and climb. I didn't feel sure of our clearance so I called approach back and asked for verification to climb to 4000' and change heading. He came back negative maintain 3000 and fly our original heading of 260. He repeated the clearance for xxxaf. I asked the controller if he had a minute and he did. I asked that under the circumstance of 2 aircraft with a similar number, could he please use full call signs? He said yes. The controller I was talking with was a training controller (instructor) or supervisor as the voice was different and a little later I heard a transmission with the controller in the background reminding the trainee to use full call signs). This problem was caused by an inexperienced controller not using the aircraft type and full call sign. In fact, he was talking to company name XXX (?) but wasn't using the name, only the call sign numbers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR MDT CLRNC RESPONSE TO WRONG CALL SIGN.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED KMDW, CLIMBED TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT 3000' AND TURNED LEFT TO A 260 HDG, CONTACTED DEP CTL. ABOUT 2 MINS LATER WE HEARD DEP CALL US ICAF CHANGE HDG, AND ANOTHER ACFT ACKNOWLEDGED OUR CALL. THE OTHER ACFT WAS TOLD THE CALL WASN'T FOR HIM. WE (I) THEN ASKED DEP CTL IF THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN AND WAS TOLD YES, AN SMA XXXAF WAS ON THE FREQ. MY COPLT TOOK A HDG AND ALT CHANGE, READING IT BACK WITH OUR CALL SIGN ICAF. THE CTLR CONTINUED WORKING OTHER ACFT AS I STARTED THE TURN AND CLIMB. I DIDN'T FEEL SURE OF OUR CLRNC SO I CALLED APCH BACK AND ASKED FOR VERIFICATION TO CLIMB TO 4000' AND CHANGE HDG. HE CAME BACK NEGATIVE MAINTAIN 3000 AND FLY OUR ORIGINAL HDG OF 260. HE REPEATED THE CLRNC FOR XXXAF. I ASKED THE CTLR IF HE HAD A MINUTE AND HE DID. I ASKED THAT UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCE OF 2 ACFT WITH A SIMILAR NUMBER, COULD HE PLEASE USE FULL CALL SIGNS? HE SAID YES. THE CTLR I WAS TALKING WITH WAS A TRAINING CTLR (INSTRUCTOR) OR SUPVR AS THE VOICE WAS DIFFERENT AND A LITTLE LATER I HEARD A XMISSION WITH THE CTLR IN THE BACKGROUND REMINDING THE TRAINEE TO USE FULL CALL SIGNS). THIS PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY AN INEXPERIENCED CTLR NOT USING THE ACFT TYPE AND FULL CALL SIGN. IN FACT, HE WAS TALKING TO COMPANY NAME XXX (?) BUT WASN'T USING THE NAME, ONLY THE CALL SIGN NUMBERS.

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.