Narrative:

Similar sounding call signs: with hearback/readback errors and altitude busts ranking very high in reports; I would like to draw attention to a couple of sits that will add to those statistics if not remedied. Descending into ewr on the williamsport arrival; both our flight X and air carrier flight Y (to lga) were on the same frequency. Further investigation showed us that both of our flts were reasonably on time and that these flight numbers were scheduled this way (X to ewr was 6 mins early and Y to lga was 11 mins late). We were both on the same set of frequencys from the latter portion of cruise; through descent and until we entered holding for ewr and Y continued on to lga. Effort was made by ZNY and both flight crews by slowly enunciating the flight numbers; but at least 1 radio call was incorrectly taken by the other flight. I am sure this is something we can change to avoid having one flight take the wrong ATC instruction and potentially causing a much larger situation. In addition; I would like to note that departing lax; air carrier flight X took off just before air carrier Y flight Z (and followed us for the first hour of flight) and checking on with new york approach; air carrier Z flight west was preceding us. All in all; 3 similar sounding call signs caused confusion and at least 2 incorrect responses (one with air carrier X flight Y and one with air carrier Y flight Z) during the transcontinental flight from lax to ewr. Correcting this (especially between company flts) would go a long way in reducing hearback/readback errors.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 PLT EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING SIMILAR FLT NUMBERS AND RELATED CONFUSION WITH REGARD TO ATC CLRNCS.

Narrative: SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS: WITH HEARBACK/READBACK ERRORS AND ALT BUSTS RANKING VERY HIGH IN RPTS; I WOULD LIKE TO DRAW ATTN TO A COUPLE OF SITS THAT WILL ADD TO THOSE STATISTICS IF NOT REMEDIED. DSNDING INTO EWR ON THE WILLIAMSPORT ARR; BOTH OUR FLT X AND ACR FLT Y (TO LGA) WERE ON THE SAME FREQ. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOWED US THAT BOTH OF OUR FLTS WERE REASONABLY ON TIME AND THAT THESE FLT NUMBERS WERE SCHEDULED THIS WAY (X TO EWR WAS 6 MINS EARLY AND Y TO LGA WAS 11 MINS LATE). WE WERE BOTH ON THE SAME SET OF FREQS FROM THE LATTER PORTION OF CRUISE; THROUGH DSCNT AND UNTIL WE ENTERED HOLDING FOR EWR AND Y CONTINUED ON TO LGA. EFFORT WAS MADE BY ZNY AND BOTH FLT CREWS BY SLOWLY ENUNCIATING THE FLT NUMBERS; BUT AT LEAST 1 RADIO CALL WAS INCORRECTLY TAKEN BY THE OTHER FLT. I AM SURE THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN CHANGE TO AVOID HAVING ONE FLT TAKE THE WRONG ATC INSTRUCTION AND POTENTIALLY CAUSING A MUCH LARGER SIT. IN ADDITION; I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT DEPARTING LAX; ACR FLT X TOOK OFF JUST BEFORE ACR Y FLT Z (AND FOLLOWED US FOR THE FIRST HR OF FLT) AND CHKING ON WITH NEW YORK APCH; ACR Z FLT W WAS PRECEDING US. ALL IN ALL; 3 SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS CAUSED CONFUSION AND AT LEAST 2 INCORRECT RESPONSES (ONE WITH ACR X FLT Y AND ONE WITH ACR Y FLT Z) DURING THE TRANSCONTINENTAL FLT FROM LAX TO EWR. CORRECTING THIS (ESPECIALLY BTWN COMPANY FLTS) WOULD GO A LONG WAY IN REDUCING HEARBACK/READBACK ERRORS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.