Narrative:

Our aircraft received TCASII notification followed by RA during departure from runway 18R at 1.4 DME, approximately 3300 ft. Upon receiving TCASII notification, we saw the aircraft departing on runway 18L turning slightly to the right. As their turn increased, a RA was made. I, the first officer, leveled off and turned to the right to avoid the aircraft. As soon as we began our turn, the tower came on the radio and said 'aircraft X, are you still on tower?' the captain verified that we were, and that we were deviating to the right. The controller then stated to maintain 3000 ft and turn to 270 degree heading. As we had already passed through that altitude, I began to descend. Shortly after, he asked us to maintain 4000 ft. By this time, the other aircraft was diverging from our course. The problem was caused by the aircraft departing runway 18L and turning right into our departure path from runway 18R. As their separate tower frequencys for runway 18L and runway 18R, I do not know whether the actions of the other aircraft were based on ATC or the pilot making an improper turn. Supplemental information from acn 580907: departure frequency was 120.5. This frequency is mostly used as the west departure frequency, but is sometimes used if only light aircraft departure loads leaving clt. Took off runway 18L and flew the panther 5 departure. Contacted departure on 120.5, and he said turn right to 250 degrees. Started to turn, got to about 220 degrees, then we got TCASII RA stating 'climb, climb.' immediately climbed and started a left turn to avoid conflict, then departure said, after we responded to the RA, to turn left to 130 degrees and contact departure on 124.0. Found out later after a phone call to ATC, that a very similar call sign company aircraft had departed by runway 18R, and departure control must have thought we were him, but when we read back the turn to 250 degrees, he didn't correct us. Also, found out the first officer read back the wrong departure frequency, and clearance delivery did not correct us either. So, the person on 120.5 was not expecting a similar sounding call sign on his frequency, and didn't correct us on our error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRITICAL AIRBORNE CONFLICT OCCURS BTWN 2 E145'S DEP PARALLEL RWYS IN A NIGHT OP 2 NM S OF CLT, NC.

Narrative: OUR ACFT RECEIVED TCASII NOTIFICATION FOLLOWED BY RA DURING DEP FROM RWY 18R AT 1.4 DME, APPROX 3300 FT. UPON RECEIVING TCASII NOTIFICATION, WE SAW THE ACFT DEPARTING ON RWY 18L TURNING SLIGHTLY TO THE R. AS THEIR TURN INCREASED, A RA WAS MADE. I, THE FO, LEVELED OFF AND TURNED TO THE R TO AVOID THE ACFT. AS SOON AS WE BEGAN OUR TURN, THE TWR CAME ON THE RADIO AND SAID 'ACFT X, ARE YOU STILL ON TWR?' THE CAPT VERIFIED THAT WE WERE, AND THAT WE WERE DEVIATING TO THE R. THE CTLR THEN STATED TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT AND TURN TO 270 DEG HDG. AS WE HAD ALREADY PASSED THROUGH THAT ALT, I BEGAN TO DSND. SHORTLY AFTER, HE ASKED US TO MAINTAIN 4000 FT. BY THIS TIME, THE OTHER ACFT WAS DIVERGING FROM OUR COURSE. THE PROB WAS CAUSED BY THE ACFT DEPARTING RWY 18L AND TURNING R INTO OUR DEP PATH FROM RWY 18R. AS THEIR SEPARATE TWR FREQS FOR RWY 18L AND RWY 18R, I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THE ACTIONS OF THE OTHER ACFT WERE BASED ON ATC OR THE PLT MAKING AN IMPROPER TURN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 580907: DEP FREQ WAS 120.5. THIS FREQ IS MOSTLY USED AS THE W DEP FREQ, BUT IS SOMETIMES USED IF ONLY LIGHT ACFT DEP LOADS LEAVING CLT. TOOK OFF RWY 18L AND FLEW THE PANTHER 5 DEP. CONTACTED DEP ON 120.5, AND HE SAID TURN R TO 250 DEGS. STARTED TO TURN, GOT TO ABOUT 220 DEGS, THEN WE GOT TCASII RA STATING 'CLB, CLB.' IMMEDIATELY CLBED AND STARTED A L TURN TO AVOID CONFLICT, THEN DEP SAID, AFTER WE RESPONDED TO THE RA, TO TURN L TO 130 DEGS AND CONTACT DEP ON 124.0. FOUND OUT LATER AFTER A PHONE CALL TO ATC, THAT A VERY SIMILAR CALL SIGN COMPANY ACFT HAD DEPARTED BY RWY 18R, AND DEP CTL MUST HAVE THOUGHT WE WERE HIM, BUT WHEN WE READ BACK THE TURN TO 250 DEGS, HE DIDN'T CORRECT US. ALSO, FOUND OUT THE FO READ BACK THE WRONG DEP FREQ, AND CLRNC DELIVERY DID NOT CORRECT US EITHER. SO, THE PERSON ON 120.5 WAS NOT EXPECTING A SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN ON HIS FREQ, AND DIDN'T CORRECT US ON OUR 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.