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Because of similar call signs, an approach controller at N90 issued control instructions to the wrong aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 573711 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200302 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : lga.airport |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | agl single value : 6 msl single value : 4000 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90.tracon tower : iad.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Super 80 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | ils other localizer |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument non precision arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 573711 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine |
| ASRS Report | 573706 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
On downwind vector for lda-a approach to runway 22 at lga. I was issued a clearance to turn direct to lga while on downwind approximately 6 DME from the airport. This seemed unusual due to our position at 4000 ft and being vectored for the lda-a. Upon receiving the clearance, we questioned if it was for us and to verify the clearance. The approach controller verified our call sign and reiterated the clearance to turn direct to lga. It seemed unusual but we complied. Subsequently, the controller issued a new clearance to turn back to our original heading and we complied. He then gave the direct lga clearance to air carrier Y and tried to chastise us. I quickly responded that we had questioned his clearance to us but we were given the same clearance a second time. This seemed to straighten out the confusion. I believe this could happen again with 2 of the same flight numbers arriving lga at the same time. It would seem prudent to coordination a different flight number for this arrival flight if air carrier Y is going to keep that flight number.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: BECAUSE OF SIMILAR CALL SIGNS, AN APCH CTLR AT N90 ISSUED CTL INSTRUCTIONS TO THE WRONG ACFT.
Narrative: ON DOWNWIND VECTOR FOR LDA-A APCH TO RWY 22 AT LGA. I WAS ISSUED A CLRNC TO TURN DIRECT TO LGA WHILE ON DOWNWIND APPROX 6 DME FROM THE ARPT. THIS SEEMED UNUSUAL DUE TO OUR POS AT 4000 FT AND BEING VECTORED FOR THE LDA-A. UPON RECEIVING THE CLRNC, WE QUESTIONED IF IT WAS FOR US AND TO VERIFY THE CLRNC. THE APCH CTLR VERIFIED OUR CALL SIGN AND REITERATED THE CLRNC TO TURN DIRECT TO LGA. IT SEEMED UNUSUAL BUT WE COMPLIED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE CTLR ISSUED A NEW CLRNC TO TURN BACK TO OUR ORIGINAL HDG AND WE COMPLIED. HE THEN GAVE THE DIRECT LGA CLRNC TO ACR Y AND TRIED TO CHASTISE US. I QUICKLY RESPONDED THAT WE HAD QUESTIONED HIS CLRNC TO US BUT WE WERE GIVEN THE SAME CLRNC A SECOND TIME. THIS SEEMED TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE CONFUSION. I BELIEVE THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN WITH 2 OF THE SAME FLT NUMBERS ARRIVING LGA AT THE SAME TIME. IT WOULD SEEM PRUDENT TO COORD A DIFFERENT FLT NUMBER FOR THIS ARR FLT IF ACR Y IS GOING TO KEEP THAT 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.