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A dash 8 air carrier's flight number is confused with a crj's similar sounding alpha numeric call sign. This confusion is an ongoing event with center controllers issuing wrong flight numbers. ZDC. Dc.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 470498 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200004 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | SC |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 19000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 800 |
| ASRS Report | 470498 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Company Environmental Factor |
| Primary Problem | Company |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
While flying flight E0BH we were instructed to descend to 12000 ft. As we passed 16700 ft, the controller stated our last assigned altitude was FL190, and to continue to 12000 ft. We stated that we were given 12000 ft and that if we picked that call up in error that someone else was not descending to 12000 ft, and was still at FL190. The controller acknowledged and then called flight ebbh and issued a descent to 12000 ft from FL190. On landing in clt, the crew in an aircraft behind us called and stated they heard the call and that the call signs were incorrect and confused. (We were correct.) I feel that the problem here is that time after time, flight Y and flight X call signs are mixed up -- both when issued and received by the pilots. This creates problems. I do not know who was in error here, but I will listen closer as this error between the 2 call signs continues over and over. Someone should change call signs.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A DASH 8 ACR'S FLT NUMBER IS CONFUSED WITH A CRJ'S SIMILAR SOUNDING ALPHA NUMERIC CALL SIGN. THIS CONFUSION IS AN ONGOING EVENT WITH CTR CTLRS ISSUING WRONG FLT NUMBERS. ZDC. DC.
Narrative: WHILE FLYING FLT E0BH WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO DSND TO 12000 FT. AS WE PASSED 16700 FT, THE CTLR STATED OUR LAST ASSIGNED ALT WAS FL190, AND TO CONTINUE TO 12000 FT. WE STATED THAT WE WERE GIVEN 12000 FT AND THAT IF WE PICKED THAT CALL UP IN ERROR THAT SOMEONE ELSE WAS NOT DSNDING TO 12000 FT, AND WAS STILL AT FL190. THE CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED AND THEN CALLED FLT EBBH AND ISSUED A DSCNT TO 12000 FT FROM FL190. ON LNDG IN CLT, THE CREW IN AN ACFT BEHIND US CALLED AND STATED THEY HEARD THE CALL AND THAT THE CALL SIGNS WERE INCORRECT AND CONFUSED. (WE WERE CORRECT.) I FEEL THAT THE PROB HERE IS THAT TIME AFTER TIME, FLT Y AND FLT X CALL SIGNS ARE MIXED UP -- BOTH WHEN ISSUED AND RECEIVED BY THE PLTS. THIS CREATES PROBS. I DO NOT KNOW WHO WAS IN ERROR HERE, BUT I WILL LISTEN CLOSER AS THIS ERROR BTWN THE 2 CALL SIGNS CONTINUES OVER AND OVER. SOMEONE SHOULD CHANGE CALL SIGNS.
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.