Captain of air carrier uses call sign from previous flight.

Attributes
ACN	292850
Time
Date	199501
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bos
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : zbw
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15499 flight time type : 1201
ASRS Report	292850
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Copilot was doing the radio work. He turned the radios over to me so he could do a PA. I acknowledged a frequency change. I then checked in to the new frequency using the call sign of the previous flight. Controller, who I think was expecting me, gave me a clearance for the correct call sign, 'climb to FL230.' I acknowledged, apologized for the mistake, and continued without incident. In retrospect, I feel I was too quick to accept the clearance. I should have stopped for a moment, confirmed my call sign , and reconfirmed the clearance. Why? Because in this situation I could have easily taken someone else's clearance. Then I would have had an altitude violation. In the future, I will have a piece of paper with the correct call sign always sitting in front of me. This is important for airline pilots, because their call signs are usually changing frequently. Also, it's worth nothing that this was the last flight of a 4-DAY trip. Finally, keep in mind that you lose your system of double- check when 1 pilot is off the air getting ATIS, doing a PA, or talking with company.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF ACR USES CALL SIGN FROM PREVIOUS FLT.

Narrative: COPLT WAS DOING THE RADIO WORK. HE TURNED THE RADIOS OVER TO ME SO HE COULD DO A PA. I ACKNOWLEDGED A FREQ CHANGE. I THEN CHKED IN TO THE NEW FREQ USING THE CALL SIGN OF THE PREVIOUS FLT. CTLR, WHO I THINK WAS EXPECTING ME, GAVE ME A CLRNC FOR THE CORRECT CALL SIGN, 'CLB TO FL230.' I ACKNOWLEDGED, APOLOGIZED FOR THE MISTAKE, AND CONTINUED WITHOUT INCIDENT. IN RETROSPECT, I FEEL I WAS TOO QUICK TO ACCEPT THE CLRNC. I SHOULD HAVE STOPPED FOR A MOMENT, CONFIRMED MY CALL SIGN , AND RECONFIRMED THE CLRNC. WHY? BECAUSE IN THIS SIT I COULD HAVE EASILY TAKEN SOMEONE ELSE'S CLRNC. THEN I WOULD HAVE HAD AN ALT VIOLATION. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL HAVE A PIECE OF PAPER WITH THE CORRECT CALL SIGN ALWAYS SITTING IN FRONT OF ME. THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR AIRLINE PLTS, BECAUSE THEIR CALL SIGNS ARE USUALLY CHANGING FREQUENTLY. ALSO, IT'S WORTH NOTHING THAT THIS WAS THE LAST FLT OF A 4-DAY TRIP. FINALLY, KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU LOSE YOUR SYS OF DOUBLE- CHK WHEN 1 PLT IS OFF THE AIR GETTING ATIS, DOING A PA, OR TALKING WITH COMPANY.

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.