Narrative:

During flight planning for departure, I signed a release provided by my company dispatcher for B757 aircraft #XX34. We boarded the aircraft, which was the only B-757 that we could see. All onboard were boarded and ready for the flight from anc to den including flight attendants, passenger, baggage, and fuel--all at the proper gate. We had trouble getting information from ACARS, so we got our ATC clearance over the radio. Weight manifest had to be gotten over the radio and I decided to find what the acar's problem was after departure. On climb out, I commented half jokingly that we were probably in the wrong aircraft. Because it was dark, we turned up some lights and realized that we were in aircraft #XX39 -- surprise! We tried in vain go call our dispatcher, so called the anc operations office and had them tell our dispatcher. Within mins we had new paperwork for our airplane. The trap for us was: early am departure, only B-757 in sight/and on correct gate, etc. I am still new to ACARS operation, having come from B-727 with so operating it. We neglected to check the aircraft number to paperwork when boarding (probably because of past reliability in this situation). Suggestions: instead of an ACARS message like east pn/flight, why not 'wrong aircraft'! Maybe we need a checklist item (oh no!) to check aircraft number. We probably won't do that again, but hopefully we can help others too!

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC TAKES WRONG ACFT FOR DISPATCH.

Narrative: DURING FLT PLANNING FOR DEP, I SIGNED A RELEASE PROVIDED BY MY COMPANY DISPATCHER FOR B757 ACFT #XX34. WE BOARDED THE ACFT, WHICH WAS THE ONLY B-757 THAT WE COULD SEE. ALL ONBOARD WERE BOARDED AND READY FOR THE FLT FROM ANC TO DEN INCLUDING FLT ATTENDANTS, PAX, BAGGAGE, AND FUEL--ALL AT THE PROPER GATE. WE HAD TROUBLE GETTING INFO FROM ACARS, SO WE GOT OUR ATC CLRNC OVER THE RADIO. WT MANIFEST HAD TO BE GOTTEN OVER THE RADIO AND I DECIDED TO FIND WHAT THE ACAR'S PROB WAS AFTER DEP. ON CLBOUT, I COMMENTED HALF JOKINGLY THAT WE WERE PROBABLY IN THE WRONG ACFT. BECAUSE IT WAS DARK, WE TURNED UP SOME LIGHTS AND REALIZED THAT WE WERE IN ACFT #XX39 -- SURPRISE! WE TRIED IN VAIN GO CALL OUR DISPATCHER, SO CALLED THE ANC OPS OFFICE AND HAD THEM TELL OUR DISPATCHER. WITHIN MINS WE HAD NEW PAPERWORK FOR OUR AIRPLANE. THE TRAP FOR US WAS: EARLY AM DEP, ONLY B-757 IN SIGHT/AND ON CORRECT GATE, ETC. I AM STILL NEW TO ACARS OP, HAVING COME FROM B-727 WITH SO OPERATING IT. WE NEGLECTED TO CHK THE ACFT NUMBER TO PAPERWORK WHEN BOARDING (PROBABLY BECAUSE OF PAST RELIABILITY IN THIS SIT). SUGGESTIONS: INSTEAD OF AN ACARS MESSAGE LIKE E PN/FLT, WHY NOT 'WRONG ACFT'! MAYBE WE NEED A CHKLIST ITEM (OH NO!) TO CHK ACFT NUMBER. WE PROBABLY WON'T DO THAT AGAIN, BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN HELP OTHERS TOO!

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.