Same company aircraft departing lax apparently caused controller confusion when aircraft callsign wa...

Attributes
ACN	172384
Time
Date	199103
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	172384
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	172383
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

(Same company involved). As we tuned in tower (lax 133.90), we heard tower clear air carrier AA7 into position and hold runway 24L. We responded (copilot), 'air carrier AA7 position and hold 24L.' tower asked who was taking position and hold. We replied, 'air carrier AA7.' tower obviously was expecting air carrier AB7 at full length in front of an medium large transport ahead of us to respond. West/O the tape, we don't know if tower said 'AA7,' or if we heard 'AB7,' instead of 'AA7.' we talked to tower supervisor and had a good conversation on the matter. Don't expect any further action from tower. Supplemental information from acn 172383: air carrier AA7 to smx was cleared to position and hold runway 24L. While transitioning from taxiway 36-U to 24L we were told the clearance was for air carrier AB7, not AA7. We were then cleared to position and hold 24L. Both the captain and I heard ATC clear AA7 to position and hold. I responded, 'position and hold, air carrier AA7.' ATC did not take corrective action, instead communicating with other aircraft. Air carrier AB7 at 33 neither responded nor moved into position 24L. (Same company aircraft.)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SAME COMPANY ACFT DEPARTING LAX APPARENTLY CAUSED CTLR CONFUSION WHEN ACFT CALLSIGN WAS TRANSPOSED.

Narrative: (SAME COMPANY INVOLVED). AS WE TUNED IN TWR (LAX 133.90), WE HEARD TWR CLR ACR AA7 INTO POS AND HOLD RWY 24L. WE RESPONDED (COPLT), 'ACR AA7 POS AND HOLD 24L.' TWR ASKED WHO WAS TAKING POS AND HOLD. WE REPLIED, 'ACR AA7.' TWR OBVIOUSLY WAS EXPECTING ACR AB7 AT FULL LENGTH IN FRONT OF AN MLG AHEAD OF US TO RESPOND. W/O THE TAPE, WE DON'T KNOW IF TWR SAID 'AA7,' OR IF WE HEARD 'AB7,' INSTEAD OF 'AA7.' WE TALKED TO TWR SUPVR AND HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION ON THE MATTER. DON'T EXPECT ANY FURTHER ACTION FROM TWR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 172383: ACR AA7 TO SMX WAS CLRED TO POS AND HOLD RWY 24L. WHILE TRANSITIONING FROM TXWY 36-U TO 24L WE WERE TOLD THE CLRNC WAS FOR ACR AB7, NOT AA7. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO POS AND HOLD 24L. BOTH THE CAPT AND I HEARD ATC CLR AA7 TO POS AND HOLD. I RESPONDED, 'POS AND HOLD, ACR AA7.' ATC DID NOT TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION, INSTEAD COMMUNICATING WITH OTHER ACFT. ACR AB7 AT 33 NEITHER RESPONDED NOR MOVED INTO POS 24L. (SAME COMPANY ACFT.)

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.

Same company aircraft departing lax apparently caused controller confusion when aircraft callsign was transposed.