Narrative:

In apr/2002 the aircraft type of the n-number in question (nx) changed from a king air to a citation X. We departed stockton on an IFR flight from stockton to addison; tx. We were cleared to fly heading 050 degrees and climb to 7000 ft. We were handed over to norcal passing 3000 ft and established on a heading of 050 degrees. We checked in reporting our heading; altitude passing and climbing to 7000 ft. Norcal responded with roger. Shortly thereafter; norcal called; 'king air (nxx) turn right heading 120 degrees; maintain 6000 ft for traffic.' a skylane on the frequency (nxxx) responded to that call. We continued our climb on heading 050 degrees to 7000 ft. Shortly thereafter; norcal asked a king air (nxx) to turn to a heading of 120 degrees and climb to 6000 ft. Again; the skylane responded; stating they were established on a 120 degree heading and climbing to 6000 ft. At this time we saw traffic on the TCASII at 12 O'clock and at 6500 ft. We decided to level off at 6000 ft to avoid the traffic. An agitated norcal came back and called; 'king air (nxx) turn immediately to a heading of 120 degrees and maintain 6000 ft.' again the skylane responded. During this entire exchange we were unable to get into the conversation since the skylane responded for the king air; that was really a citation; and norcal called a king air; that was really a citation. We passed the traffic without creating a conflict and finally we were able to enter the conversation. This is not the first time that ATC (norcal; oakland) has called us a king air. The first yr we were very forgiving since it never caused a problem. This time it caused a collision conflict that was only avoided because of the TCASII equipment we have on board. If we would call norcal stockton approach; we would get the privilege of having to make a phone call to the facility manager. It is imperative that ATC lives up to the same standards that they expect pilots to live up to. There is no excuse for complacency; especially when it comes to collision avoidance. Calling the wrong type will confuse everybody; not stating that there is another aircraft on frequency with a similar sounding call sign is a serious omission.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C750 DEP FROM SCK IS INCORRECTLY IDENTED BY NCT CTLR AS A KING AIR CAUSING A CONFLICT WHEN OTHER ACFT MISTAKENLY RESPONDS TO WRONG IDENT TYPE.

Narrative: IN APR/2002 THE ACFT TYPE OF THE N-NUMBER IN QUESTION (NX) CHANGED FROM A KING AIR TO A CITATION X. WE DEPARTED STOCKTON ON AN IFR FLT FROM STOCKTON TO ADDISON; TX. WE WERE CLRED TO FLY HDG 050 DEGS AND CLB TO 7000 FT. WE WERE HANDED OVER TO NORCAL PASSING 3000 FT AND ESTABLISHED ON A HDG OF 050 DEGS. WE CHKED IN RPTING OUR HDG; ALT PASSING AND CLBING TO 7000 FT. NORCAL RESPONDED WITH ROGER. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; NORCAL CALLED; 'KING AIR (NXX) TURN R HDG 120 DEGS; MAINTAIN 6000 FT FOR TFC.' A SKYLANE ON THE FREQ (NXXX) RESPONDED TO THAT CALL. WE CONTINUED OUR CLB ON HDG 050 DEGS TO 7000 FT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; NORCAL ASKED A KING AIR (NXX) TO TURN TO A HDG OF 120 DEGS AND CLB TO 6000 FT. AGAIN; THE SKYLANE RESPONDED; STATING THEY WERE ESTABLISHED ON A 120 DEG HDG AND CLBING TO 6000 FT. AT THIS TIME WE SAW TFC ON THE TCASII AT 12 O'CLOCK AND AT 6500 FT. WE DECIDED TO LEVEL OFF AT 6000 FT TO AVOID THE TFC. AN AGITATED NORCAL CAME BACK AND CALLED; 'KING AIR (NXX) TURN IMMEDIATELY TO A HDG OF 120 DEGS AND MAINTAIN 6000 FT.' AGAIN THE SKYLANE RESPONDED. DURING THIS ENTIRE EXCHANGE WE WERE UNABLE TO GET INTO THE CONVERSATION SINCE THE SKYLANE RESPONDED FOR THE KING AIR; THAT WAS REALLY A CITATION; AND NORCAL CALLED A KING AIR; THAT WAS REALLY A CITATION. WE PASSED THE TFC WITHOUT CREATING A CONFLICT AND FINALLY WE WERE ABLE TO ENTER THE CONVERSATION. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT ATC (NORCAL; OAKLAND) HAS CALLED US A KING AIR. THE FIRST YR WE WERE VERY FORGIVING SINCE IT NEVER CAUSED A PROB. THIS TIME IT CAUSED A COLLISION CONFLICT THAT WAS ONLY AVOIDED BECAUSE OF THE TCASII EQUIP WE HAVE ON BOARD. IF WE WOULD CALL NORCAL STOCKTON APCH; WE WOULD GET THE PRIVILEGE OF HAVING TO MAKE A PHONE CALL TO THE FACILITY MGR. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT ATC LIVES UP TO THE SAME STANDARDS THAT THEY EXPECT PLTS TO LIVE UP TO. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR COMPLACENCY; ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO COLLISION AVOIDANCE. CALLING THE WRONG TYPE WILL CONFUSE EVERYBODY; NOT STATING THAT THERE IS ANOTHER ACFT ON FREQ WITH A SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN IS A SERIOUS OMISSION.

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.