<< >> NASA ASRS Report 146444, May 1990

Medium large transport cleared for takeoff, readback. Tower meant clearance for similar call sign aircraft same air carrier.

Attributes
ACN	146444
Time
Date	199005
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : day
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	146444
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5800 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	146443
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

I was in air carrier aaeg positioned for a runway 36 departure. Company air carrier aeg was positioned for takeoff on runway 06. Tower stated 'air carrier aaeg, cleared for takeoff, after takeoff turn right to 090 degree'. I (as captain not flying) read back this clearance verbatim, with no response from tower. After liftoff, tower stated 'air carrier aaeg, contact departure, heading 360 degree'. I responded, 'understand 360 degree, not 090 degree, over?' tower responded, 'that's correct, you responded for another aircraft.' I then switched to departure. The tower's implication of course was I responded for aeg, although aeeg was cleared for takeoff after we (aaeg) started our roll on runway 36 and after I had read back the entire clearance, aware of similar call sign problem potential. Recommendation: both pilots and controllers must pay closer attention to clrncs and readbacks, this should have been caught with the pilot's readback. In addition, the tower could have been thinking aeg but stated aaeg, not a difficult error to make. The possibility of my hearing aaeg instead of aeg also arises, but I did readback the clearance with no response, using aaeg.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG CLEARED FOR TKOF, READBACK. TWR MEANT CLRNC FOR SIMILAR CALL SIGN ACFT SAME ACR.

Narrative: I WAS IN ACR AAEG POSITIONED FOR A RWY 36 DEP. COMPANY ACR AEG WAS POSITIONED FOR TKOF ON RWY 06. TWR STATED 'ACR AAEG, CLRED FOR TKOF, AFTER TKOF TURN R TO 090 DEG'. I (AS CAPT NOT FLYING) READ BACK THIS CLRNC VERBATIM, WITH NO RESPONSE FROM TWR. AFTER LIFTOFF, TWR STATED 'ACR AAEG, CONTACT DEP, HDG 360 DEG'. I RESPONDED, 'UNDERSTAND 360 DEG, NOT 090 DEG, OVER?' TWR RESPONDED, 'THAT'S CORRECT, YOU RESPONDED FOR ANOTHER ACFT.' I THEN SWITCHED TO DEP. THE TWR'S IMPLICATION OF COURSE WAS I RESPONDED FOR AEG, ALTHOUGH AEEG WAS CLRED FOR TKOF AFTER WE (AAEG) STARTED OUR ROLL ON RWY 36 AND AFTER I HAD READ BACK THE ENTIRE CLRNC, AWARE OF SIMILAR CALL SIGN PROB POTENTIAL. RECOMMENDATION: BOTH PLTS AND CTLRS MUST PAY CLOSER ATTN TO CLRNCS AND READBACKS, THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN CAUGHT WITH THE PLT'S READBACK. IN ADDITION, THE TWR COULD HAVE BEEN THINKING AEG BUT STATED AAEG, NOT A DIFFICULT ERROR TO MAKE. THE POSSIBILITY OF MY HEARING AAEG INSTEAD OF AEG ALSO ARISES, BUT I DID READBACK THE CLRNC WITH NO RESPONSE, USING AAEG.

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.