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Similar sounding aircraft call signs caused controller to issue instructions to the wrong aircraft which caused conflict with a military flight. Restr airspace. Controller noticed his error as the wrong aircraft took his clearance and headed toward restr airspace.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 507772 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200104 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : ecg.vor |
| State Reference | NC |
| Altitude | msl single value : 33000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 19 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : separated traffic |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
Air carrier X was on the frequency, en route sju to phl. Aircraft Y was also on the frequency, en route from pbi to phl. I thought I heard aircraft X ask for direct to swl, a fix on both flight plans. Having no reason not to honor the request, I cleared aircraft X direct to swl. Some 3 or 4 mins later, I detected aircraft Y turning into active warning area airspace necessitating a rapid turn back, and a hasty pointout to milfac control. I thought aircraft X asked for direct bwl, when it was in fact aircraft Y who had asked. Aircraft Y thought I cleared aircraft Y direct to swl, when the clearance had actually been issued to aircraft X. We both heard what we wanted to hear. While there was no traffic situation in this incident, and military was able to accept the pointout, it might not have been the case.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SIMILAR SOUNDING ACFT CALL SIGNS CAUSED CTLR TO ISSUE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE WRONG ACFT WHICH CAUSED CONFLICT WITH A MIL FLT. RESTR AIRSPACE. CTLR NOTICED HIS ERROR AS THE WRONG ACFT TOOK HIS CLRNC AND HEADED TOWARD RESTR AIRSPACE.
Narrative: ACR X WAS ON THE FREQ, ENRTE SJU TO PHL. ACFT Y WAS ALSO ON THE FREQ, ENRTE FROM PBI TO PHL. I THOUGHT I HEARD ACFT X ASK FOR DIRECT TO SWL, A FIX ON BOTH FLT PLANS. HAVING NO REASON NOT TO HONOR THE REQUEST, I CLRED ACFT X DIRECT TO SWL. SOME 3 OR 4 MINS LATER, I DETECTED ACFT Y TURNING INTO ACTIVE WARNING AREA AIRSPACE NECESSITATING A RAPID TURN BACK, AND A HASTY POINTOUT TO MILFAC CTL. I THOUGHT ACFT X ASKED FOR DIRECT BWL, WHEN IT WAS IN FACT ACFT Y WHO HAD ASKED. ACFT Y THOUGHT I CLRED ACFT Y DIRECT TO SWL, WHEN THE CLRNC HAD ACTUALLY BEEN ISSUED TO ACFT X. WE BOTH HEARD WHAT WE WANTED TO HEAR. WHILE THERE WAS NO TFC SIT IN THIS INCIDENT, AND MIL WAS ABLE TO ACCEPT THE POINTOUT, IT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN THE CASE.
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.