Narrative:

Our flight xxy to oma was 20 NM east of tth VOR, climbing toward FL230 with myself as the PF (autoplt on), the first officer working the radios, and no cockpit conversation at the time. Then ATC cleared company flight XXX direct vhp VOR. We had just passed vhp VOR and it took me a second to realize ATC had not said our flight number. ATC stopped speaking and out of the corner of my eye I saw the first officer reaching for the transmit switch. I started waving my hands and shaking my head but my intercom was deselected/off. And by the time I got my message across, the first officer had completed his readback and realized his error. I immediately keyed the microphone and tried to explain to ATC what had happened, but the controller had moved on to other aircraft and the frequency was congested. On the third attempt, I was successful in explaining to ATC what had happened, and all of the effected parties got the situation sorted out. The controller was not happy. I certainly understand the need for everyone to be diligent and make a concerted effort to listen carefully to ATC without unnecessary distraction. But we were doing exactly that. I don't believe this situation could have been more ripe with opportunity for a misunderstood call sign. If there was ever a time for ATC to make one of those courtesy announcements on frequency about aircraft with similar sounding call signs, this would seem to have been it. Curiously, neither ATC nor the other aircraft appeared to notice the error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS AND RESPONSE TO WRONG CALL SIGNS PLAGUE ATC AND THE FLC'S OF 2 CL65'S ENRTE ON FREQ WITH ZID, IN.

Narrative: OUR FLT XXY TO OMA WAS 20 NM E OF TTH VOR, CLBING TOWARD FL230 WITH MYSELF AS THE PF (AUTOPLT ON), THE FO WORKING THE RADIOS, AND NO COCKPIT CONVERSATION AT THE TIME. THEN ATC CLRED COMPANY FLT XXX DIRECT VHP VOR. WE HAD JUST PASSED VHP VOR AND IT TOOK ME A SECOND TO REALIZE ATC HAD NOT SAID OUR FLT NUMBER. ATC STOPPED SPEAKING AND OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE I SAW THE FO REACHING FOR THE XMIT SWITCH. I STARTED WAVING MY HANDS AND SHAKING MY HEAD BUT MY INTERCOM WAS DESELECTED/OFF. AND BY THE TIME I GOT MY MESSAGE ACROSS, THE FO HAD COMPLETED HIS READBACK AND REALIZED HIS ERROR. I IMMEDIATELY KEYED THE MIKE AND TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO ATC WHAT HAD HAPPENED, BUT THE CTLR HAD MOVED ON TO OTHER ACFT AND THE FREQ WAS CONGESTED. ON THE THIRD ATTEMPT, I WAS SUCCESSFUL IN EXPLAINING TO ATC WHAT HAD HAPPENED, AND ALL OF THE EFFECTED PARTIES GOT THE SIT SORTED OUT. THE CTLR WAS NOT HAPPY. I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR EVERYONE TO BE DILIGENT AND MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO LISTEN CAREFULLY TO ATC WITHOUT UNNECESSARY DISTR. BUT WE WERE DOING EXACTLY THAT. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN MORE RIPE WITH OPPORTUNITY FOR A MISUNDERSTOOD CALL SIGN. IF THERE WAS EVER A TIME FOR ATC TO MAKE ONE OF THOSE COURTESY ANNOUNCEMENTS ON FREQ ABOUT ACFT WITH SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS, THIS WOULD SEEM TO HAVE BEEN IT. CURIOUSLY, NEITHER ATC NOR THE OTHER ACFT APPEARED TO NOTICE THE ERROR.

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.