Similar callsigns.

Attributes
ACN	137360
Time
Date	199002
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : crl
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : laf
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors enroute airway : v11
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 6500
ASRS Report	137360
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While proceeding inbound to detroit metropolitan airport via V11 arwy, cleveland center gave us a heading off course to our left for spacing. Awhile later, we heard ATC issue a right turn to reintercept the radial we were on, but another aircraft with a similar callsign (we were both abc airlines flts) acknowledged the clearance and very clearly stated their callsign in the acknowledgement. The controller made no reply. After a few mi he asked our flight if we had started our turn yet. Obviously what had occurred was that the turn to reintercept course was meant for us, but since neither my first officer or I was sure of the call sign, and the aircraft that acknowledged the clearance plainly stated their flight # and drew no contrary response from the controller, that we continued on a vector heading and the other aircraft turned back on course. This was a case of all three parties hearing what they expected to hear rather than what was actually said.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SIMILAR CALLSIGNS.

Narrative: WHILE PROCEEDING INBND TO DETROIT METRO ARPT VIA V11 ARWY, CLEVELAND CENTER GAVE US A HDG OFF COURSE TO OUR L FOR SPACING. AWHILE LATER, WE HEARD ATC ISSUE A R TURN TO REINTERCEPT THE RADIAL WE WERE ON, BUT ANOTHER ACFT WITH A SIMILAR CALLSIGN (WE WERE BOTH ABC AIRLINES FLTS) ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC AND VERY CLEARLY STATED THEIR CALLSIGN IN THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. THE CTLR MADE NO REPLY. AFTER A FEW MI HE ASKED OUR FLT IF WE HAD STARTED OUR TURN YET. OBVIOUSLY WHAT HAD OCCURRED WAS THAT THE TURN TO REINTERCEPT COURSE WAS MEANT FOR US, BUT SINCE NEITHER MY F/O OR I WAS SURE OF THE CALL SIGN, AND THE ACFT THAT ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC PLAINLY STATED THEIR FLT # AND DREW NO CONTRARY RESPONSE FROM THE CTLR, THAT WE CONTINUED ON A VECTOR HDG AND THE OTHER ACFT TURNED BACK ON COURSE. THIS WAS A CASE OF ALL THREE PARTIES HEARING WHAT THEY EXPECTED TO HEAR RATHER THAN WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.