Lear 45 flight crew has similar call sign to another company aircraft. During cruise; ATC issues a f...

Attributes
ACN	688379
Time
Date	200602
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zkc.artcc
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl single value : 40000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Learjet 45
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Learjet 45
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	688379
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance ATC Facility
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

We (aircraft X; n-xxyy) departed mankato; mn (mkt) to dallas love airport (dal). We were at FL400 and on a kansas city en route frequency; approximately 70 mi north of tul VOR. I heard another cpr jet (aircraft Y) call onto the frequency. I expected the controller to possibly advise that we (a similar sounding call sign) were also on the frequency -- it didn't happen. The frequency was fairly busy; so I didn't say anything to interrupt. About 5 mins later; the kansas city controller issued a frequency change to aircraft Y; n-xyy. They accepted the change and left the frequency. As we flew overhead tul and changed heading to begin the fingr 3 arrival into dal; the en route controller gave us a TA for an airplane at FL360. I thought that was kind of strange since we were 4000 ft higher. I asked the controller if the earlier frequency change for aircraft Y might have been for us (aircraft X) instead. He said; 'no; stay with me.' we were then given a descent to FL360 and a subsequent frequency change to another kansas city frequency; who gave us a further descent to FL240 and requested an expedited descent. Passing FL285; the controller asked our altitude and requested a faster descent to be below FL270 in 30 seconds. We complied; but I saw absolutely no other aircraft in our vicinity on the TCAS. We were then given a descent to 16000 ft; a frequency change to 'ZME' and he gave me a further descent to 5000 ft. I knew then they had mixed us up with the other airplane and queried the memphis controller. He asked my position -- approximately 25 mi east of mcalester VOR (mlc) on the fingr 3 arrival to dal. He told me to return to the previous frequency and a leveloff at FL190. By this time; the controllers had figured out we were going to dal and the other aircraft was going to harrison; ar (hro). The controller gave me a telephone number and asked me to call them later. The supervisor said there were no close calls and no serious situations developed because of this; but they wanted to eliminate things like this from happening and avoid serious situations in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LEAR 45 FLT CREW HAS SIMILAR CALL SIGN TO ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT. DURING CRUISE; ATC ISSUES A FREQ CHANGE TO THE FLT CREW AND THE OTHER ACFT ACCEPTS THE CHANGE. ATC CTLR DOES NOT CATCH THE MISTAKE.

Narrative: WE (ACFT X; N-XXYY) DEPARTED MANKATO; MN (MKT) TO DALLAS LOVE ARPT (DAL). WE WERE AT FL400 AND ON A KANSAS CITY ENRTE FREQ; APPROX 70 MI N OF TUL VOR. I HEARD ANOTHER CPR JET (ACFT Y) CALL ONTO THE FREQ. I EXPECTED THE CTLR TO POSSIBLY ADVISE THAT WE (A SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN) WERE ALSO ON THE FREQ -- IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. THE FREQ WAS FAIRLY BUSY; SO I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING TO INTERRUPT. ABOUT 5 MINS LATER; THE KANSAS CITY CTLR ISSUED A FREQ CHANGE TO ACFT Y; N-XYY. THEY ACCEPTED THE CHANGE AND LEFT THE FREQ. AS WE FLEW OVERHEAD TUL AND CHANGED HDG TO BEGIN THE FINGR 3 ARR INTO DAL; THE ENRTE CTLR GAVE US A TA FOR AN AIRPLANE AT FL360. I THOUGHT THAT WAS KIND OF STRANGE SINCE WE WERE 4000 FT HIGHER. I ASKED THE CTLR IF THE EARLIER FREQ CHANGE FOR ACFT Y MIGHT HAVE BEEN FOR US (ACFT X) INSTEAD. HE SAID; 'NO; STAY WITH ME.' WE WERE THEN GIVEN A DSCNT TO FL360 AND A SUBSEQUENT FREQ CHANGE TO ANOTHER KANSAS CITY FREQ; WHO GAVE US A FURTHER DSCNT TO FL240 AND REQUESTED AN EXPEDITED DSCNT. PASSING FL285; THE CTLR ASKED OUR ALT AND REQUESTED A FASTER DSCNT TO BE BELOW FL270 IN 30 SECONDS. WE COMPLIED; BUT I SAW ABSOLUTELY NO OTHER ACFT IN OUR VICINITY ON THE TCAS. WE WERE THEN GIVEN A DSCNT TO 16000 FT; A FREQ CHANGE TO 'ZME' AND HE GAVE ME A FURTHER DSCNT TO 5000 FT. I KNEW THEN THEY HAD MIXED US UP WITH THE OTHER AIRPLANE AND QUERIED THE MEMPHIS CTLR. HE ASKED MY POS -- APPROX 25 MI E OF MCALESTER VOR (MLC) ON THE FINGR 3 ARR TO DAL. HE TOLD ME TO RETURN TO THE PREVIOUS FREQ AND A LEVELOFF AT FL190. BY THIS TIME; THE CTLRS HAD FIGURED OUT WE WERE GOING TO DAL AND THE OTHER ACFT WAS GOING TO HARRISON; AR (HRO). THE CTLR GAVE ME A TELEPHONE NUMBER AND ASKED ME TO CALL THEM LATER. THE SUPVR SAID THERE WERE NO CLOSE CALLS AND NO SERIOUS SITUATIONS DEVELOPED BECAUSE OF THIS; BUT THEY WANTED TO ELIMINATE THINGS LIKE THIS FROM HAPPENING AND AVOID SERIOUS SITUATIONS IN THE FUTURE.

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.

Lear 45 flight crew has similar call sign to another company aircraft. During cruise; ATC issues a frequency change to the flight crew and the other aircraft accepts the change. ATC controller does not catch the mistake.