Narrative:

After meeting captain in operations for my flight, I talked with a friend flying a flight who's flight number was very similar (off by 1 number) to mine. It was very early in the morning and we were both pushing back at nearly the same time. I accidently used his flight number instead of mine. I used the number for ground also. No one caught my mistake including the captain. I finally figured it out when departure issued a turn in a direction contrary to our destination. I feel that flight numbers must not be consecutive or else an error like this might have become larger. The time of day didn't help either but what are the airlines to do. They have a schedule to meet.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG USED THE WRONG CALL SIGN FROM START OF TAXI THROUGH CHANGE TO DEP CTL. ERROR DISCOVERED WHEN VECTOR HDG WAS IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

Narrative: AFTER MEETING CAPT IN OPS FOR MY FLT, I TALKED WITH A FRIEND FLYING A FLT WHO'S FLT NUMBER WAS VERY SIMILAR (OFF BY 1 NUMBER) TO MINE. IT WAS VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING AND WE WERE BOTH PUSHING BACK AT NEARLY THE SAME TIME. I ACCIDENTLY USED HIS FLT NUMBER INSTEAD OF MINE. I USED THE NUMBER FOR GND ALSO. NO ONE CAUGHT MY MISTAKE INCLUDING THE CAPT. I FINALLY FIGURED IT OUT WHEN DEP ISSUED A TURN IN A DIRECTION CONTRARY TO OUR DEST. I FEEL THAT FLT NUMBERS MUST NOT BE CONSECUTIVE OR ELSE AN ERROR LIKE THIS MIGHT HAVE BECOME LARGER. THE TIME OF DAY DIDN'T HELP EITHER BUT WHAT ARE THE AIRLINES TO DO. THEY HAVE A SCHEDULE TO MEET.

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.