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Controller at atl TRACON contends that a regional air carrier continues to use similar sounding call signs causing numerous repeat xmissions. Reporter states that controller workload increases and a simple situation turns complicated, confusing and dangerous.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 347810 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199609 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : atl |
| State Reference | GA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 14000 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : atl |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : handoff position |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| ASRS Report | 347810 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
3 of the 4 flight plan call signs are very similar. The fourth aircraft just added to the problem. This arrival push is the first of the day for atl approach. All of these crews had an early sign-in. Probably woke up at XA00/XB00. The results of today's operation was mass confusion. Flight crew answered for each other. Pilots assigned heading, speed, and altitude. Other flcs acknowledged and took wrong turns, headings, speeds. I was the radar handoff person during this happening. It took both the radar controller and myself to untangle the potential mess that was about to occur. What should have been an easy VFR arrival push became complicated, confusing, and almost dangerous. When asked about some help from air carrier or the FAA, I was told nothing could be done. I'm sure if a wrong altitude readback by a similar sounding call sign caused a near miss or the 'big one' someone would ask how we got into this situation after the fact.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CTLR AT ATL TRACON CONTENDS THAT A REGIONAL ACR CONTINUES TO USE SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS CAUSING NUMEROUS REPEAT XMISSIONS. RPTR STATES THAT CTLR WORKLOAD INCREASES AND A SIMPLE SIT TURNS COMPLICATED, CONFUSING AND DANGEROUS.
Narrative: 3 OF THE 4 FLT PLAN CALL SIGNS ARE VERY SIMILAR. THE FOURTH ACFT JUST ADDED TO THE PROB. THIS ARR PUSH IS THE FIRST OF THE DAY FOR ATL APCH. ALL OF THESE CREWS HAD AN EARLY SIGN-IN. PROBABLY WOKE UP AT XA00/XB00. THE RESULTS OF TODAY'S OP WAS MASS CONFUSION. FLC ANSWERED FOR EACH OTHER. PLTS ASSIGNED HDG, SPD, AND ALT. OTHER FLCS ACKNOWLEDGED AND TOOK WRONG TURNS, HDGS, SPDS. I WAS THE RADAR HDOF PERSON DURING THIS HAPPENING. IT TOOK BOTH THE RADAR CTLR AND MYSELF TO UNTANGLE THE POTENTIAL MESS THAT WAS ABOUT TO OCCUR. WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN EASY VFR ARR PUSH BECAME COMPLICATED, CONFUSING, AND ALMOST DANGEROUS. WHEN ASKED ABOUT SOME HELP FROM ACR OR THE FAA, I WAS TOLD NOTHING COULD BE DONE. I'M SURE IF A WRONG ALT READBACK BY A SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN CAUSED A NEAR MISS OR THE 'BIG ONE' SOMEONE WOULD ASK HOW WE GOT INTO THIS SIT AFTER THE FACT.
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.