Narrative:

We took off from sfo our call sign was air carrier X bad (heavy). An air carrier Y bd took off before us by perhaps 5 mins, call sign bd (heavy). We climbed to 23000'. We were level FL230 for perhaps 6 mins when ZOA cleared us to FL280. We read back FL280 and began our climb. At 25400' ZOA questioned our altitude clearance. We replied FL280. ZOA thought FL250 was the cleared altitude. I am certain it was FL280. But this is not the point of this report. I believe the confusion arose around the similar call signs of our flight and air carrier Y, so that through design 2 aircraft and their controling center could easily receive each other plan of action. We do everything by computers. Computers can easily rectify this problem. Run a comparison for call sign conflict before they print the airline guide. I have talked to my chief pilot on numerous occasions about this problem at air carrier X. It is brought up at meetings, but nothing happens. I fly out of ewr, air carrier X's largest hub. If they tried to make similar call signs at similar takeoff times on parallel route they could not do a better job. Who regulates safety in this industry, the FAA or marketing?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOT DURING CLIMB, POSSIBLY IN RESPONSE TO SIMILAR A/N CALL SIGN.

Narrative: WE TOOK OFF FROM SFO OUR CALL SIGN WAS ACR X BAD (HVY). AN ACR Y BD TOOK OFF BEFORE US BY PERHAPS 5 MINS, CALL SIGN BD (HVY). WE CLBED TO 23000'. WE WERE LEVEL FL230 FOR PERHAPS 6 MINS WHEN ZOA CLRED US TO FL280. WE READ BACK FL280 AND BEGAN OUR CLB. AT 25400' ZOA QUESTIONED OUR ALT CLRNC. WE REPLIED FL280. ZOA THOUGHT FL250 WAS THE CLRED ALT. I AM CERTAIN IT WAS FL280. BUT THIS IS NOT THE POINT OF THIS RPT. I BELIEVE THE CONFUSION AROSE AROUND THE SIMILAR CALL SIGNS OF OUR FLT AND ACR Y, SO THAT THROUGH DESIGN 2 ACFT AND THEIR CTLING CENTER COULD EASILY RECEIVE EACH OTHER PLAN OF ACTION. WE DO EVERYTHING BY COMPUTERS. COMPUTERS CAN EASILY RECTIFY THIS PROB. RUN A COMPARISON FOR CALL SIGN CONFLICT BEFORE THEY PRINT THE AIRLINE GUIDE. I HAVE TALKED TO MY CHIEF PLT ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS ABOUT THIS PROB AT ACR X. IT IS BROUGHT UP AT MEETINGS, BUT NOTHING HAPPENS. I FLY OUT OF EWR, ACR X'S LARGEST HUB. IF THEY TRIED TO MAKE SIMILAR CALL SIGNS AT SIMILAR TKOF TIMES ON PARALLEL RTE THEY COULD NOT DO A BETTER JOB. WHO REGULATES SAFETY IN THIS INDUSTRY, THE FAA OR MARKETING?

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.