<< >> NASA ASRS Report 347660, September 1996

DO328 aircraft during departure was being vectored by departure controller with another aircraft with similar call sign. Controller asked reporter if they had started a turn yet when the flight crew had not heard or read back the heading clearance. Reporter suspect, controller gave heading to other aircraft thinking it was them.

Attributes
ACN	347660
Time
Date	199609
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl tower : ewr
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	347660
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We had 2 flts with dissimilar numbers operating in the same sector at the same time. There were an inordinate number of vectors involved in our departure. We read back all of our instructions in their entirety. Yet, all of a sudden, the controller was asking if 'we had started the turn yet.' we never read back any turns to that heading. I believe the controller issued the turn to the wrong flight number, and never questioned the lack of a readback in his haste. There were no conflicts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DO328 ACFT DURING DEP WAS BEING VECTORED BY DEP CTLR WITH ANOTHER ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGN. CTLR ASKED RPTR IF THEY HAD STARTED A TURN YET WHEN THE FLC HAD NOT HEARD OR READ BACK THE HEADING CLRNC. RPTR SUSPECT, CTLR GAVE HEADING TO OTHER ACFT THINKING IT WAS THEM.

Narrative: WE HAD 2 FLTS WITH DISSIMILAR NUMBERS OPERATING IN THE SAME SECTOR AT THE SAME TIME. THERE WERE AN INORDINATE NUMBER OF VECTORS INVOLVED IN OUR DEP. WE READ BACK ALL OF OUR INSTRUCTIONS IN THEIR ENTIRETY. YET, ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CTLR WAS ASKING IF 'WE HAD STARTED THE TURN YET.' WE NEVER READ BACK ANY TURNS TO THAT HEADING. I BELIEVE THE CTLR ISSUED THE TURN TO THE WRONG FLT NUMBER, AND NEVER QUESTIONED THE LACK OF A READBACK IN HIS HASTE. THERE WERE NO CONFLICTS.

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.