ATC uses wrong call sign when vectoring, causes TCASII RA.

Attributes
ACN	225608
Time
Date	199210
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	225608
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

We were on a 190 degree heading at 4000 ft 8-10 mi out of iad being vectored for a runway 1L ILS approach at iad washington by an iad controller in IMC conditions. We were given a turn to 30 degrees to intercept the 1L localizer and descend to 3000 ft. It was a late turn. Our flight number was abc and the controller kept getting us mixed up with same air carrier acc. We passed through the localizer before we had even turned 90 degrees. We were at our company's maximum bank angle to intercept. We saw another aircraft on the TCASII turning into us. He was at our 11 O'clock position. We got a TA alert but due to IMC conditions we didn't see him. At 3300 ft altitude, we got an RA to climb at 2000 FPM and we complied. When we got the clear of conflict on the TCASII, we reported the deviation to ATC. They called the wrong flight number and air carrier acc told them it was us, air carrier abc. When we got the controller straight on the numbers, we were vectored for another approach. I feel there was not enough traffic separation and the controller should have recognized the dangerous situation developing and kept us apart from each other's flight path.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC USES WRONG CALL SIGN WHEN VECTORING, CAUSES TCASII RA.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A 190 DEG HDG AT 4000 FT 8-10 MI OUT OF IAD BEING VECTORED FOR A RWY 1L ILS APCH AT IAD WASHINGTON BY AN IAD CTLR IN IMC CONDITIONS. WE WERE GIVEN A TURN TO 30 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE 1L LOC AND DSND TO 3000 FT. IT WAS A LATE TURN. OUR FLT NUMBER WAS ABC AND THE CTLR KEPT GETTING US MIXED UP WITH SAME ACR ACC. WE PASSED THROUGH THE LOC BEFORE WE HAD EVEN TURNED 90 DEGS. WE WERE AT OUR COMPANY'S MAX BANK ANGLE TO INTERCEPT. WE SAW ANOTHER ACFT ON THE TCASII TURNING INTO US. HE WAS AT OUR 11 O'CLOCK POS. WE GOT A TA ALERT BUT DUE TO IMC CONDITIONS WE DIDN'T SEE HIM. AT 3300 FT ALT, WE GOT AN RA TO CLB AT 2000 FPM AND WE COMPLIED. WHEN WE GOT THE CLR OF CONFLICT ON THE TCASII, WE RPTED THE DEV TO ATC. THEY CALLED THE WRONG FLT NUMBER AND ACR ACC TOLD THEM IT WAS US, ACR ABC. WHEN WE GOT THE CTLR STRAIGHT ON THE NUMBERS, WE WERE VECTORED FOR ANOTHER APCH. I FEEL THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TFC SEPARATION AND THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE RECOGNIZED THE DANGEROUS SITUATION DEVELOPING AND KEPT US APART FROM EACH OTHER'S FLT PATH.

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.