MD80 flight crew misunderstands or is given the clearance for a similar call sign and responds to a TCASII RA after the controller issues correcting vectors.

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Attributes
ACN	614798
Time
Date	200404
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d21.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d21.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	614798
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : separated traffic flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 10000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our flight was being vectored behind another company flight for final approach. Whether the controller used the wrong call sign or both the captain and I misheard, we turned for what was intended for the preceding flight. ATC immediately gave both of us correcting vectors in addition to us responding to an RA. Regardless of whose 'fault' it was, diligence is especially needed when call signs are similar.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLT CREW MISUNDERSTANDS OR IS GIVEN THE CLRNC FOR A SIMILAR CALL SIGN AND RESPONDS TO A TCASII RA AFTER THE CTLR ISSUES CORRECTING VECTORS.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS BEING VECTORED BEHIND ANOTHER COMPANY FLT FOR FINAL APCH. WHETHER THE CTLR USED THE WRONG CALL SIGN OR BOTH THE CAPT AND I MISHEARD, WE TURNED FOR WHAT WAS INTENDED FOR THE PRECEDING FLT. ATC IMMEDIATELY GAVE BOTH OF US CORRECTING VECTORS IN ADDITION TO US RESPONDING TO AN RA. REGARDLESS OF WHOSE 'FAULT' IT WAS, DILIGENCE IS ESPECIALLY NEEDED WHEN CALL SIGNS ARE SIMILAR.

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.