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B737 first officer states concerns about company utilizing similar call signs for aircraft departing at same time; same direction of flight and close destinations.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 686749 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200602 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sfo.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 33000 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zoa.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-400 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zoa.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 |
| ASRS Report | 686749 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
Shortly after checking on with ZOA; I realized that we had air carrier Y on frequency; both having departed from sfo; both headed to mexico. I prepared myself to be extra alert as I would be dealing with the similar call signs through a majority of the flight. Upon reaching ZLA; I discovered air carrier Z on frequency; also going to mexico. Now we've got every single airborne jet on the frequency headed to mexico with 2 of the 3 call sign numbers the same -- air carrier X; air carrier Y; and air carrier Z. All involved were careful; and the flts continued uneventfully. Not having all the mexico flts launch with similar numbers would certainly minimize the potential for taking somebody else's clearance en route inadvertently.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737 FO STATES CONCERNS ABOUT COMPANY UTILIZING SIMILAR CALL SIGNS FOR ACFT DEPARTING AT SAME TIME; SAME DIRECTION OF FLT AND CLOSE DESTS.
Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER CHKING ON WITH ZOA; I REALIZED THAT WE HAD ACR Y ON FREQ; BOTH HAVING DEPARTED FROM SFO; BOTH HEADED TO MEXICO. I PREPARED MYSELF TO BE EXTRA ALERT AS I WOULD BE DEALING WITH THE SIMILAR CALL SIGNS THROUGH A MAJORITY OF THE FLT. UPON REACHING ZLA; I DISCOVERED ACR Z ON FREQ; ALSO GOING TO MEXICO. NOW WE'VE GOT EVERY SINGLE AIRBORNE JET ON THE FREQ HEADED TO MEXICO WITH 2 OF THE 3 CALL SIGN NUMBERS THE SAME -- ACR X; ACR Y; AND ACR Z. ALL INVOLVED WERE CAREFUL; AND THE FLTS CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY. NOT HAVING ALL THE MEXICO FLTS LAUNCH WITH SIMILAR NUMBERS WOULD CERTAINLY MINIMIZE THE POTENTIAL FOR TAKING SOMEBODY ELSE'S CLRNC ENRTE INADVERTENTLY.
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.