Air carrier flight crew mistakenly accepted and acknowledged to ATC an instruction meant for another...

Attributes
ACN	426190
Time
Date	199901
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : msp
State Reference	MN
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	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Navigation In Use	Other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	426190
Person 2
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While climbing out of msp, we were given a clearance to climb to 17000 ft, heading 040 degrees. Shortly after, we were given a vector of 115 degrees. At about 10000-11000 ft on our climb, we got a TA on TCASII with traffic at 12 O'clock and 6 mi ahead. We were climbing so quickly that when the conflict flew under us, there was more than 2500 ft of altitude split. Approach control called us and asked what heading we were on, and we replied 115 degrees assigned. Approach control then told us that the 115 degree vector was for aircraft Y (we were aircraft X). Aircraft Y was asked what its heading was and he replied 100 degrees. We were then told to head 360 degrees and the flight progressed normally. This is a good example of the problem with similar sounding call signs. Either aircraft X and aircraft Y mistook approach control's instructions or approach confused both aircraft (only the voice tapes will tell).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC MISTAKENLY ACCEPTED AND ACKNOWLEDGED TO ATC AN INSTRUCTION MEANT FOR ANOTHER ACFT WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING OUT OF MSP, WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO CLB TO 17000 FT, HDG 040 DEGS. SHORTLY AFTER, WE WERE GIVEN A VECTOR OF 115 DEGS. AT ABOUT 10000-11000 FT ON OUR CLB, WE GOT A TA ON TCASII WITH TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK AND 6 MI AHEAD. WE WERE CLBING SO QUICKLY THAT WHEN THE CONFLICT FLEW UNDER US, THERE WAS MORE THAN 2500 FT OF ALT SPLIT. APCH CTL CALLED US AND ASKED WHAT HDG WE WERE ON, AND WE REPLIED 115 DEGS ASSIGNED. APCH CTL THEN TOLD US THAT THE 115 DEG VECTOR WAS FOR ACFT Y (WE WERE ACFT X). ACFT Y WAS ASKED WHAT ITS HDG WAS AND HE REPLIED 100 DEGS. WE WERE THEN TOLD TO HEAD 360 DEGS AND THE FLT PROGRESSED NORMALLY. THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE PROB WITH SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS. EITHER ACFT X AND ACFT Y MISTOOK APCH CTL'S INSTRUCTIONS OR APCH CONFUSED BOTH ACFT (ONLY THE VOICE TAPES WILL TELL).

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.

Air carrier flight crew mistakenly accepted and acknowledged to ATC an instruction meant for another aircraft with a similar call sign.