Air carrier medium large transport questions a 350 degree heading change after takeoff from lga.

Attributes
ACN	184741
Time
Date	199107
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
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 : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 6300 flight time type : 820
ASRS Report	184741
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	185235
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Operational Deviation other

Narrative:

We were flight acc, from lga to den and cleared for takeoff from runway 22 with a clearance to maintain runway heading and climb to 3000 ft. Our squawk was fghi. Upon contacting departure we were told to turn left to heading 230. Upon informing ATC it would be a 350 degree turn to go left to a heading of 230 it became apparent that we were being confused with company flight abc who just departed lga from runway 31 and may have been given our squawk of fghi. Numerous radio transmissions were then made between flight acc, flight abc and ATC to determine who was where, who was who and the current altitude and heading of each aircraft. Once this was accomplished we were given vectors to allow us to proceed on our intended course. I believe greater differences in flight numbers of aircraft in such close proximity, and more precise or clear radio procedures may help eliminate future problems of this type.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG QUESTIONS A 350 DEG HDG CHANGE AFTER TKOF FROM LGA.

Narrative: WE WERE FLT ACC, FROM LGA TO DEN AND CLRED FOR TKOF FROM RWY 22 WITH A CLRNC TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG AND CLB TO 3000 FT. OUR SQUAWK WAS FGHI. UPON CONTACTING DEP WE WERE TOLD TO TURN L TO HDG 230. UPON INFORMING ATC IT WOULD BE A 350 DEG TURN TO GO L TO A HDG OF 230 IT BECAME APPARENT THAT WE WERE BEING CONFUSED WITH COMPANY FLT ABC WHO JUST DEPARTED LGA FROM RWY 31 AND MAY HAVE BEEN GIVEN OUR SQUAWK OF FGHI. NUMEROUS RADIO TRANSMISSIONS WERE THEN MADE BTWN FLT ACC, FLT ABC AND ATC TO DETERMINE WHO WAS WHERE, WHO WAS WHO AND THE CURRENT ALT AND HDG OF EACH ACFT. ONCE THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED WE WERE GIVEN VECTORS TO ALLOW US TO PROCEED ON OUR INTENDED COURSE. I BELIEVE GREATER DIFFERENCES IN FLT NUMBERS OF ACFT IN SUCH CLOSE PROX, AND MORE PRECISE OR CLR RADIO PROCS MAY HELP ELIMINATE FUTURE PROBLEMS OF THIS TYPE.

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.