Similar numbers wrong aircraft radar handoff to ARTCC.

Attributes
ACN	258284
Time
Date	199312
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iad
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 24
ASRS Report	258284
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Operational Deviation

Narrative:

An aircraft departed iad. Computer idented flight as air carrier xx (blue ridge) to unknown destination. ZDC took computer handoff on air carrier xx (no flight plan). Iad approach calls to amend air carrier xy flight plan. I told them I didn't know who air carrier xy was. Iadz said it was the aircraft 25 mi north of iad. I said no, that's air carrier xx data block. They said, no that's air carrier xy and it showed air carrier xy on their data block. During this time an air carrier xy was calling on frequency. We had air carrier xy identify. Sure enough air carrier xx data block 'flashed.' I got ZNY to take handoff and explained that it was air carrier xy and didn't know flight plan. (Note: ZDC only has 15 mi airspace between iad approach boundary and ZNY boundary.) a few mins later iad tried to make a manual handoff on air carrier xx. Again, they didn't know where flight was going. This time I told them to keep flight in their airspace till they got a correct flight plan. As it turned out this flight was going to pvd and the correct departure route was east over bwi, not north over hgr. Somehow the confusion level within iad approach reached a new high today. They got flight plans and flight idents messed up and couldn't or wouldn't fix or admit to the mistake.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SIMILAR NUMBERS WRONG ACFT RADAR HDOF TO ARTCC.

Narrative: AN ACFT DEPARTED IAD. COMPUTER IDENTED FLT AS ACR XX (BLUE RIDGE) TO UNKNOWN DEST. ZDC TOOK COMPUTER HDOF ON ACR XX (NO FLT PLAN). IAD APCH CALLS TO AMEND ACR XY FLT PLAN. I TOLD THEM I DIDN'T KNOW WHO ACR XY WAS. IADZ SAID IT WAS THE ACFT 25 MI N OF IAD. I SAID NO, THAT'S ACR XX DATA BLOCK. THEY SAID, NO THAT'S ACR XY AND IT SHOWED ACR XY ON THEIR DATA BLOCK. DURING THIS TIME AN ACR XY WAS CALLING ON FREQ. WE HAD ACR XY IDENT. SURE ENOUGH ACR XX DATA BLOCK 'FLASHED.' I GOT ZNY TO TAKE HDOF AND EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS ACR XY AND DIDN'T KNOW FLT PLAN. (NOTE: ZDC ONLY HAS 15 MI AIRSPACE BTWN IAD APCH BOUNDARY AND ZNY BOUNDARY.) A FEW MINS LATER IAD TRIED TO MAKE A MANUAL HDOF ON ACR XX. AGAIN, THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE FLT WAS GOING. THIS TIME I TOLD THEM TO KEEP FLT IN THEIR AIRSPACE TILL THEY GOT A CORRECT FLT PLAN. AS IT TURNED OUT THIS FLT WAS GOING TO PVD AND THE CORRECT DEP RTE WAS E OVER BWI, NOT N OVER HGR. SOMEHOW THE CONFUSION LEVEL WITHIN IAD APCH REACHED A NEW HIGH TODAY. THEY GOT FLT PLANS AND FLT IDENTS MESSED UP AND COULDN'T OR WOULDN'T FIX OR ADMIT TO THE MISTAKE.

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.