Narrative:

Air carrier X departed dtw climbing to 10000 ft, issued radar contact and advised 'company air carrier Y on frequency also, use caution, similar call signs.' later, I climbed and switched air carrier X to ZOB. Company air carrier Y had traffic at 12000 ft descending to 11000 ft at 2 O'clock position and 10 mi. He (aircraft Y) also acknowledged the climb and frequency change. I attempted to advise air carrier Y the transmission was not for him, but he was gone. I then coordinated with the controller working the descending aircraft to ensure separation. It seems to happen often on the wkends, that we (ATC) have to issue the same instructions 2 and 3 times and correct erroneous readbacks with company X & Y pilots. We have tried to address this problem informally (union to pilot interest group) and through formal channels with our FAA staff, but have seen no results. There are always at least 2 pilots on board each aircraft. We would like one of them to listen carefully before an accident occurs.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 TAKES FREQ CHANGE FOR COMPANY A320. DTW TRACON CTLR IS FRUSTRATED WITH UNION AND MGMNT INABILITY TO RESOLVE READBACK PROB WITH ACR COMMUNITY.

Narrative: ACR X DEPARTED DTW CLBING TO 10000 FT, ISSUED RADAR CONTACT AND ADVISED 'COMPANY ACR Y ON FREQ ALSO, USE CAUTION, SIMILAR CALL SIGNS.' LATER, I CLBED AND SWITCHED ACR X TO ZOB. COMPANY ACR Y HAD TFC AT 12000 FT DSNDING TO 11000 FT AT 2 O'CLOCK POS AND 10 MI. HE (ACFT Y) ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLB AND FREQ CHANGE. I ATTEMPTED TO ADVISE ACR Y THE XMISSION WAS NOT FOR HIM, BUT HE WAS GONE. I THEN COORDINATED WITH THE CTLR WORKING THE DSNDING ACFT TO ENSURE SEPARATION. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN OFTEN ON THE WKENDS, THAT WE (ATC) HAVE TO ISSUE THE SAME INSTRUCTIONS 2 AND 3 TIMES AND CORRECT ERRONEOUS READBACKS WITH COMPANY X & Y PLTS. WE HAVE TRIED TO ADDRESS THIS PROB INFORMALLY (UNION TO PLT INTEREST GROUP) AND THROUGH FORMAL CHANNELS WITH OUR FAA STAFF, BUT HAVE SEEN NO RESULTS. THERE ARE ALWAYS AT LEAST 2 PLTS ON BOARD EACH ACFT. WE WOULD LIKE ONE OF THEM TO LISTEN CAREFULLY BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURS.

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.