Call sign confusion for 2 flts of same air carrier on ground at den.

Attributes
ACN	461792
Time
Date	200001
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : den.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 182 flight time total : 7459 flight time type : 1706
ASRS Report	461792
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	461640
Events
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

We were #2 for taxi out of our ramp area. We heard ground control give taxi instructions to the aircraft ahead of us who was of the same carrier and of a similar call sign. We contacted ground control on 121.85 when we were #1 with current ATIS. We were given taxi clearance to runway 17L which we responded to with call sign and runway assignment. When we contacted tower frequency on taxiway ed for runway 17L, the controller seemed surprised that we were there. We were subsequently cleared for takeoff. No conflicts existed. I believe that 2 aircraft with similar call signs led to confusion. Supplemental information from acn 461640: we were #2 (air carrier flight abcd) on the ground at den. Aircraft #1 in front of us was air carrier flight abed. When we checked in with tower as 'ready #2 runway 17L,' the controller seemed at first surprised we were on his frequency. We were then cleared for takeoff with no further conversation. I'm not sure if we accepted taxi instructions for flight abed or if ground control mistakenly called the wrong flight number.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CALL SIGN CONFUSION FOR 2 FLTS OF SAME ACR ON GND AT DEN.

Narrative: WE WERE #2 FOR TAXI OUT OF OUR RAMP AREA. WE HEARD GND CTL GIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO THE ACFT AHEAD OF US WHO WAS OF THE SAME CARRIER AND OF A SIMILAR CALL SIGN. WE CONTACTED GND CTL ON 121.85 WHEN WE WERE #1 WITH CURRENT ATIS. WE WERE GIVEN TAXI CLRNC TO RWY 17L WHICH WE RESPONDED TO WITH CALL SIGN AND RWY ASSIGNMENT. WHEN WE CONTACTED TWR FREQ ON TXWY ED FOR RWY 17L, THE CTLR SEEMED SURPRISED THAT WE WERE THERE. WE WERE SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED FOR TKOF. NO CONFLICTS EXISTED. I BELIEVE THAT 2 ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS LED TO CONFUSION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 461640: WE WERE #2 (ACR FLT ABCD) ON THE GND AT DEN. ACFT #1 IN FRONT OF US WAS ACR FLT ABED. WHEN WE CHKED IN WITH TWR AS 'READY #2 RWY 17L,' THE CTLR SEEMED AT FIRST SURPRISED WE WERE ON HIS FREQ. WE WERE THEN CLRED FOR TKOF WITH NO FURTHER CONVERSATION. I'M NOT SURE IF WE ACCEPTED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS FOR FLT ABED OR IF GND CTL MISTAKENLY CALLED THE WRONG FLT NUMBER.

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.