Narrative:

Rapid descent to make crossing restr. TCASII TA at 12 O'clock 600 ft low and climbing. I turned, climbed to miss contact. At the time I was turning, ATC called for us to execute a turn to 330 degree heading (approximately 30 degree left of original course). I could not respond immediately due to flight duties -- copilot was off frequency getting ATIS. Another company aircraft with similar callsign (xxy, ours was xzy) was on frequency. I remember ATC giving xyy several TA's. Possibly some were meant for us. To my knowledge, we received no ATC advisories until the 30 degree turn. We missed light twin small aircraft by 2000 ft. During phone call to ATC, controller said he made 3 calls to us with no response. (I have never missed 3 calls in a row!) ATC supervisor stated that some of our company aircraft on 127.45 in that area have reception problems -- a dead zone. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporting captain states that he called ZOA when on the ground at sjc. The ZOA supervisor told him that several of his air carrier aircraft seem to have a communication problem in the same general area where the reporter had his problem. The reporter believes that it might be caused by interference between the antenna for the telephone that is installed in some of the aircraft. The ZOA supervisor told the reporter that there is a memo from ZOA to the air carrier regarding this problem. Several people at several higher levels, both with the air carrier and the FAA, are aware of this problem and may be working on it. The reporter has asked for the ATC tapes to be pulled and reviewed for this incident, but has not yet heard the tapes. The reporter started evasive action before ATC came through to him. ARTCC had called 3 times with no response and had decided that the reporter's aircraft was 'NORDO' and was treating it so.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG LOST COM MOMENTARILY. THERE WAS A CONFLICT WITH A VFR SMA AND SIMILAR SOUNDING ACR CALL SIGNS.

Narrative: RAPID DSCNT TO MAKE XING RESTR. TCASII TA AT 12 O'CLOCK 600 FT LOW AND CLBING. I TURNED, CLBED TO MISS CONTACT. AT THE TIME I WAS TURNING, ATC CALLED FOR US TO EXECUTE A TURN TO 330 DEG HDG (APPROX 30 DEG L OF ORIGINAL COURSE). I COULD NOT RESPOND IMMEDIATELY DUE TO FLT DUTIES -- COPLT WAS OFF FREQ GETTING ATIS. ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALLSIGN (XXY, OURS WAS XZY) WAS ON FREQ. I REMEMBER ATC GIVING XYY SEVERAL TA'S. POSSIBLY SOME WERE MEANT FOR US. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE RECEIVED NO ATC ADVISORIES UNTIL THE 30 DEG TURN. WE MISSED LIGHT TWIN SMA BY 2000 FT. DURING PHONE CALL TO ATC, CTLR SAID HE MADE 3 CALLS TO US WITH NO RESPONSE. (I HAVE NEVER MISSED 3 CALLS IN A ROW!) ATC SUPVR STATED THAT SOME OF OUR COMPANY ACFT ON 127.45 IN THAT AREA HAVE RECEPTION PROBS -- A DEAD ZONE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTING CAPT STATES THAT HE CALLED ZOA WHEN ON THE GND AT SJC. THE ZOA SUPVR TOLD HIM THAT SEVERAL OF HIS ACR ACFT SEEM TO HAVE A COM PROB IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA WHERE THE RPTR HAD HIS PROB. THE RPTR BELIEVES THAT IT MIGHT BE CAUSED BY INTERFERENCE BTWN THE ANTENNA FOR THE TELEPHONE THAT IS INSTALLED IN SOME OF THE ACFT. THE ZOA SUPVR TOLD THE RPTR THAT THERE IS A MEMO FROM ZOA TO THE ACR REGARDING THIS PROB. SEVERAL PEOPLE AT SEVERAL HIGHER LEVELS, BOTH WITH THE ACR AND THE FAA, ARE AWARE OF THIS PROB AND MAY BE WORKING ON IT. THE RPTR HAS ASKED FOR THE ATC TAPES TO BE PULLED AND REVIEWED FOR THIS INCIDENT, BUT HAS NOT YET HEARD THE TAPES. THE RPTR STARTED EVASIVE ACTION BEFORE ATC CAME THROUGH TO HIM. ARTCC HAD CALLED 3 TIMES WITH NO RESPONSE AND HAD DECIDED THAT THE RPTR'S ACFT WAS 'NORDO' AND WAS TREATING IT SO.

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.