B737 crew receives TCASII TA after accepting climb clearance for another aircraft in clt airspace.

Attributes
ACN	423253
Time
Date	199812
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	423253
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	423284
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 15000 vertical : 900
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We took a climb clearance meant for another company flight and climbed from 8000 ft to 12000 ft. When initiating climb we got a TCASII TA. Controller, at the same time said, 'return to 8000 ft.' captain was flying. First officer read back our clearance to 12000 ft. Talked to supervisor in clt. Tape indicated overlap in our readback by the other aircraft. We see more and more similar sounding call sign numbers. No one uses the single number readback, controllers nor pilots. On this flight now going to mia, we are number XXX. On arrival in mia there will be 2 other flts with similar numbers. Last week we all responded for each other, drove the controller nuts. Companies must try not to send like sounding call signs in at same time. There should be a clearing house through ATC for all companies to clear their selected call signs. Today, within 40 mi of mia, the many similar call signs were on the same frequency, all different airlines.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW RECEIVES TCASII TA AFTER ACCEPTING CLB CLRNC FOR ANOTHER ACFT IN CLT AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WE TOOK A CLB CLRNC MEANT FOR ANOTHER COMPANY FLT AND CLBED FROM 8000 FT TO 12000 FT. WHEN INITIATING CLB WE GOT A TCASII TA. CTLR, AT THE SAME TIME SAID, 'RETURN TO 8000 FT.' CAPT WAS FLYING. FO READ BACK OUR CLRNC TO 12000 FT. TALKED TO SUPVR IN CLT. TAPE INDICATED OVERLAP IN OUR READBACK BY THE OTHER ACFT. WE SEE MORE AND MORE SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN NUMBERS. NO ONE USES THE SINGLE NUMBER READBACK, CTLRS NOR PLTS. ON THIS FLT NOW GOING TO MIA, WE ARE NUMBER XXX. ON ARR IN MIA THERE WILL BE 2 OTHER FLTS WITH SIMILAR NUMBERS. LAST WEEK WE ALL RESPONDED FOR EACH OTHER, DROVE THE CTLR NUTS. COMPANIES MUST TRY NOT TO SEND LIKE SOUNDING CALL SIGNS IN AT SAME TIME. THERE SHOULD BE A CLRING HOUSE THROUGH ATC FOR ALL COMPANIES TO CLR THEIR SELECTED CALL SIGNS. TODAY, WITHIN 40 MI OF MIA, THE MANY SIMILAR CALL SIGNS WERE ON THE SAME FREQ, ALL DIFFERENT AIRLINES.

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.