A departure MD88 takes a heading clearance meant for another company flight.

Attributes
ACN	430390
Time
Date	199903
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	ATR Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 10000
ASRS Report	430390
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 6000
ASRS Report	430392
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : separated traffic controller : issued new clearance
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departure runway 26L at atl. After takeoff, turned initially to heading 285 degrees. Upon switching to departure control and prior to contacting departure control, was issued a clearance to turn to heading 360 degrees. After rolling out on 360 degree heading and flying for approximately 30 seconds to 1 min, was asked by departure what our heading was. We responded 360 degrees and departure control turned us to a heading of 260 degrees. Departure control said that 360 degree heading was for xxba (our call sign was xxlb). After rolling out on 260 degree heading, departure control issued a TA at our 1 O'clock position, which was an ATR that departed runway 26L just prior to us. (We had a positive visual contact at all times with this aircraft.) departure control then issued an amended altitude of 6000 ft MSL, at which we leveled off. The ATR then started descending from an apparent RA/TA advisory and appeared to go through our altitude. We never received anything other than a TA from our TCASII which was operating normally. Departure control then gave us clearance to go left or right to avoid the ATR. I made a slight left turn but that was really not necessary as there was never a true conflict as to avoiding the ATR. It appeared we may have come within approximately 1 mi of the ATR. After passing ATR rest of flight uneventful. One other note: after responding to departure control's 360 degree heading on the radio, no other aircraft responded and departure control did not come back immediately and say that clearance was not for us. It appeared there was a communication problem and if ATC did indeed say the clearance was for the other flight he did not come back and correct us when we answered with our call sign. This was the 4TH and last leg of a 12+ hour day for the flight crew with 2 early get-ups in a row. Supplemental information from acn 430392: upon switching to departure control and prior to contacting departure control, we were told (heard him say) xxlb turn to heading 360 degrees.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DEP MD88 TAKES A HDG CLRNC MEANT FOR ANOTHER COMPANY FLT.

Narrative: DEP RWY 26L AT ATL. AFTER TKOF, TURNED INITIALLY TO HDG 285 DEGS. UPON SWITCHING TO DEP CTL AND PRIOR TO CONTACTING DEP CTL, WAS ISSUED A CLRNC TO TURN TO HDG 360 DEGS. AFTER ROLLING OUT ON 360 DEG HDG AND FLYING FOR APPROX 30 SECONDS TO 1 MIN, WAS ASKED BY DEP WHAT OUR HDG WAS. WE RESPONDED 360 DEGS AND DEP CTL TURNED US TO A HDG OF 260 DEGS. DEP CTL SAID THAT 360 DEG HDG WAS FOR XXBA (OUR CALL SIGN WAS XXLB). AFTER ROLLING OUT ON 260 DEG HDG, DEP CTL ISSUED A TA AT OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS, WHICH WAS AN ATR THAT DEPARTED RWY 26L JUST PRIOR TO US. (WE HAD A POSITIVE VISUAL CONTACT AT ALL TIMES WITH THIS ACFT.) DEP CTL THEN ISSUED AN AMENDED ALT OF 6000 FT MSL, AT WHICH WE LEVELED OFF. THE ATR THEN STARTED DSNDING FROM AN APPARENT RA/TA ADVISORY AND APPEARED TO GO THROUGH OUR ALT. WE NEVER RECEIVED ANYTHING OTHER THAN A TA FROM OUR TCASII WHICH WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. DEP CTL THEN GAVE US CLRNC TO GO L OR R TO AVOID THE ATR. I MADE A SLIGHT L TURN BUT THAT WAS REALLY NOT NECESSARY AS THERE WAS NEVER A TRUE CONFLICT AS TO AVOIDING THE ATR. IT APPEARED WE MAY HAVE COME WITHIN APPROX 1 MI OF THE ATR. AFTER PASSING ATR REST OF FLT UNEVENTFUL. ONE OTHER NOTE: AFTER RESPONDING TO DEP CTL'S 360 DEG HDG ON THE RADIO, NO OTHER ACFT RESPONDED AND DEP CTL DID NOT COME BACK IMMEDIATELY AND SAY THAT CLRNC WAS NOT FOR US. IT APPEARED THERE WAS A COM PROB AND IF ATC DID INDEED SAY THE CLRNC WAS FOR THE OTHER FLT HE DID NOT COME BACK AND CORRECT US WHEN WE ANSWERED WITH OUR CALL SIGN. THIS WAS THE 4TH AND LAST LEG OF A 12+ HR DAY FOR THE FLC WITH 2 EARLY GET-UPS IN A ROW. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 430392: UPON SWITCHING TO DEP CTL AND PRIOR TO CONTACTING DEP CTL, WE WERE TOLD (HEARD HIM SAY) XXLB TURN TO HDG 360 DEGS.

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.