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Reporting G3 flight crew picked up a descent clearance for their other company aircraft (ahead of them) that had a similar sounding call sign. When the crew began the descent and contacted ATC on the new assigned frequency, they were informed of their error.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 339600 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199606 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : vtu |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 12000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla tracon : lax |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Gulfstream III |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Gulfstream IV |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 6600 flight time type : 400 |
| ASRS Report | 339600 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 133 flight time total : 1980 flight time type : 169 |
| ASRS Report | 339747 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Deviation |
Narrative:
Our aircraft, along with another company aircraft, inbound to sba with similar sounding call signs. I was flying naxxbc and other aircraft 20 mi ahead was ncxxbc. Both aircraft are gulfstreams, a G3 and a G4. The controller was corrected prior to this event on using full call signs, by our other aircraft. Occurrence was reception of clearance to descend from 12000 ft to 6000 ft and contact sba approach. Supplemental information from acn 339747: upon contacting sba approach, there was some hesitation by the controller, who then said that it should have been the other aircraft (G4). They then told us to stop descent and re-contact socal. We leveled at 10000 ft and switched to socal, and told them what happened and about the confusion with similar call signs. We also told them we were level at 10000 ft or did they want us back at 12000 ft? They said 10000 ft was ok. A few mins later we were switched to santa barbara approach and the rest of the flight was uneventful.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: RPTING G3 FLC PICKED UP A DSCNT CLRNC FOR THEIR OTHER COMPANY ACFT (AHEAD OF THEM) THAT HAD A SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN. WHEN THE CREW BEGAN THE DSCNT AND CONTACTED ATC ON THE NEW ASSIGNED FREQ, THEY WERE INFORMED OF THEIR ERROR.
Narrative: OUR ACFT, ALONG WITH ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT, INBOUND TO SBA WITH SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS. I WAS FLYING NAXXBC AND OTHER ACFT 20 MI AHEAD WAS NCXXBC. BOTH ACFT ARE GULFSTREAMS, A G3 AND A G4. THE CTLR WAS CORRECTED PRIOR TO THIS EVENT ON USING FULL CALL SIGNS, BY OUR OTHER ACFT. OCCURRENCE WAS RECEPTION OF CLRNC TO DSND FROM 12000 FT TO 6000 FT AND CONTACT SBA APCH. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 339747: UPON CONTACTING SBA APCH, THERE WAS SOME HESITATION BY THE CTLR, WHO THEN SAID THAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE OTHER ACFT (G4). THEY THEN TOLD US TO STOP DSCNT AND RE-CONTACT SOCAL. WE LEVELED AT 10000 FT AND SWITCHED TO SOCAL, AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED AND ABOUT THE CONFUSION WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. WE ALSO TOLD THEM WE WERE LEVEL AT 10000 FT OR DID THEY WANT US BACK AT 12000 FT? THEY SAID 10000 FT WAS OK. A FEW MINS LATER WE WERE SWITCHED TO SANTA BARBARA APCH AND THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL.
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.