A departing air carrier was issued headings and altitude restrictions for another aircraft with simi...

Attributes
ACN	159615
Time
Date	199010
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 8500
ASRS Report	159615
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We had just departed atl runway 8R on an assigned heading of 070 degrees, with a climb clearance to 10000'. At approximately 1000' AGL we were instructed to contact atl departure control. At 4500' MSL atl departure instructed us, air carrier X, to turn left heading 360 degrees. We acknowledged and complied. After approximately 1 min departure said, 'air carrier X, turn left heading 010 degrees.' when we told departure we were already on a 360 degree heading, departure said 'ok air carrier X, maintain heading and level at 8000.' at that point an aircraft, apparently on the macey arrival from the northeast, passed in front of us approximately 4 mi, heading west, and perhaps 3000' above us. About 1 min later we were instructed to turn left to a heading of 340 degrees. This was followed by a command to climb to 17000'. After a few more seconds departure said, 'air carrier X, turn left 240 degrees,' and then immediately issued a correction and said 'no, air carrier X, maintain heading 340 degrees; air carrier Y, turn left heading 240.' during the few mins we were under the control of atl departure, the controller seemed to have us confused with air carrier Y (same company) with potentially dangerous results.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DEPARTING ACR WAS ISSUED HEADINGS AND ALT RESTRICTIONS FOR ANOTHER ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS.

Narrative: WE HAD JUST DEPARTED ATL RWY 8R ON AN ASSIGNED HDG OF 070 DEGS, WITH A CLB CLRNC TO 10000'. AT APPROX 1000' AGL WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT ATL DEP CTL. AT 4500' MSL ATL DEP INSTRUCTED US, ACR X, TO TURN LEFT HDG 360 DEGS. WE ACKNOWLEDGED AND COMPLIED. AFTER APPROX 1 MIN DEP SAID, 'ACR X, TURN LEFT HDG 010 DEGS.' WHEN WE TOLD DEP WE WERE ALREADY ON A 360 DEG HDG, DEP SAID 'OK ACR X, MAINTAIN HDG AND LEVEL AT 8000.' AT THAT POINT AN ACFT, APPARENTLY ON THE MACEY ARR FROM THE NE, PASSED IN FRONT OF US APPROX 4 MI, HDG W, AND PERHAPS 3000' ABOVE US. ABOUT 1 MIN LATER WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TURN LEFT TO A HDG OF 340 DEGS. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A COMMAND TO CLB TO 17000'. AFTER A FEW MORE SECS DEP SAID, 'ACR X, TURN LEFT 240 DEGS,' AND THEN IMMEDIATELY ISSUED A CORRECTION AND SAID 'NO, ACR X, MAINTAIN HDG 340 DEGS; ACR Y, TURN LEFT HDG 240.' DURING THE FEW MINS WE WERE UNDER THE CTL OF ATL DEP, THE CTLR SEEMED TO HAVE US CONFUSED WITH ACR Y (SAME COMPANY) WITH POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS RESULTS.

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.

A departing air carrier was issued headings and altitude restrictions for another aircraft with similar call signs.