An E120 crew, departing sfo, was believed, by ATC, to be another company aircraft with similar call ...

Attributes
ACN	537448
Time
Date	200201
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sfo.tower artcc : zhn.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure sid : san francisco 8
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : sfo.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
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 : 5000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	537447
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

When we initially called sfo ground for taxi, they asked us if we had obtained a clearance, and we informed them that we had and informed them of our assigned squawk. They then instructed us to taxi to runway 1L. Upon holding short of runway 1L, the control tower said 'air carrier X abcd, taxi into position and hold.' as we were the only aircraft at the runway, we replied 'air carrier X abcd into position and hold' (assuming that he had mistaken our flight number). I noted that there was an air carrier Y B737 holding position on runway 1R and made a mental note that he had not given us the 'maintain runway heading' instruction as they normally do when we use runway 1L as the departure runway for the sfo 8 departure (and there is traffic departing runway 1R). The controller next stated 'air carrier X abcd cleared for takeoff runway 1L,' and we again replied 'air carrier X abcd cleared for takeoff,' but we did not force a clarification of the flight number as we should have. At this point, air carrier Y was still holding position on runway 1R, but at some point during our takeoff roll they were apparently cleared for takeoff (neither the first officer nor myself actually heard this takeoff clearance, I guess because we were focusing on our takeoff and callouts). At 400 ft AGL, I asked 'clear right?' and the first officer looked and replied 'clear right' (he could not see the air carrier Y as the B737 was too far behind our aircraft). As I began to make my right turn to 030 degrees, tower asked if we were on the rebas 3 and we replied that we were assigned the sfo 8. He instructed us to maintain runway heading, and we complied. Air carrier Y asked 'what was that all about?' and the controller replied that there had been a mix-up of call signs. There was never any TCASII alert or evasive action taken and we never had visual on the B737. Obviously we should have clarified our flight number prior to commencing takeoff.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN E120 CREW, DEPARTING SFO, WAS BELIEVED, BY ATC, TO BE ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGN AND GIVEN CLRNC TO TAKE OFF, EXPECTING A L TURN AFTER DEP. WHEN A R TURN WAS INITIATED, A QUERY WAS FORTHCOMING FROM ATC.

Narrative: WHEN WE INITIALLY CALLED SFO GND FOR TAXI, THEY ASKED US IF WE HAD OBTAINED A CLRNC, AND WE INFORMED THEM THAT WE HAD AND INFORMED THEM OF OUR ASSIGNED SQUAWK. THEY THEN INSTRUCTED US TO TAXI TO RWY 1L. UPON HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 1L, THE CTL TWR SAID 'ACR X ABCD, TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD.' AS WE WERE THE ONLY ACFT AT THE RWY, WE REPLIED 'ACR X ABCD INTO POS AND HOLD' (ASSUMING THAT HE HAD MISTAKEN OUR FLT NUMBER). I NOTED THAT THERE WAS AN ACR Y B737 HOLDING POS ON RWY 1R AND MADE A MENTAL NOTE THAT HE HAD NOT GIVEN US THE 'MAINTAIN RWY HDG' INSTRUCTION AS THEY NORMALLY DO WHEN WE USE RWY 1L AS THE DEP RWY FOR THE SFO 8 DEP (AND THERE IS TFC DEPARTING RWY 1R). THE CTLR NEXT STATED 'ACR X ABCD CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 1L,' AND WE AGAIN REPLIED 'ACR X ABCD CLRED FOR TKOF,' BUT WE DID NOT FORCE A CLARIFICATION OF THE FLT NUMBER AS WE SHOULD HAVE. AT THIS POINT, ACR Y WAS STILL HOLDING POS ON RWY 1R, BUT AT SOME POINT DURING OUR TKOF ROLL THEY WERE APPARENTLY CLRED FOR TKOF (NEITHER THE FO NOR MYSELF ACTUALLY HEARD THIS TKOF CLRNC, I GUESS BECAUSE WE WERE FOCUSING ON OUR TKOF AND CALLOUTS). AT 400 FT AGL, I ASKED 'CLR R?' AND THE FO LOOKED AND REPLIED 'CLR R' (HE COULD NOT SEE THE ACR Y AS THE B737 WAS TOO FAR BEHIND OUR ACFT). AS I BEGAN TO MAKE MY R TURN TO 030 DEGS, TWR ASKED IF WE WERE ON THE REBAS 3 AND WE REPLIED THAT WE WERE ASSIGNED THE SFO 8. HE INSTRUCTED US TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG, AND WE COMPLIED. ACR Y ASKED 'WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?' AND THE CTLR REPLIED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A MIX-UP OF CALL SIGNS. THERE WAS NEVER ANY TCASII ALERT OR EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN AND WE NEVER HAD VISUAL ON THE B737. OBVIOUSLY WE SHOULD HAVE CLARIFIED OUR FLT NUMBER PRIOR TO COMMENCING TKOF.

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.

An E120 crew, departing sfo, was believed, by ATC, to be another company aircraft with similar call sign and given clearance to take off, expecting a left turn after departure. When a right turn was initiated, a query was forthcoming from ATC.