Departure controller issued climb and vector to the wrong aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	93563
Time
Date	198808
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	93563
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3680
ASRS Report	93663
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

We had experienced confusion over our call sign, air carrier aayz and air carrier abyz during taxi at ord. On this day we were extra vigilant, as air carrier abyz was 2 aircraft ahead of us for runway 9L. The tower had a little trouble with the air carrier abyz call sign when clearing him to departure control. He then called us air carrier aazz. The first officer corrected the tower. After takeoff, around 3000' MSL, departure cleared us to turn to 220 degrees and climb to FL230. Then we heard air carrier abyz cleared to turn to 220 degrees and 14000'. I commented to the crew it was odd that air carrier abyz was cleared to a lower altitude than we were. Then we heard the controller and the supervisor tell us to stop climb and stop turn. We were about 210 degrees and 6000'. We were told to turn to 180 degrees and maintain 6000'. The supervisor chastised us about listening for our proper call sign. We responded that all 3 of us had heard air carrier abyz cleared to 220 degrees and FL230. Shortly afterward, the controller cleared us to 14000' and 220 degrees. I know we can do better than 2 lengthy and yet similar call signs departing at the same time. Even extra vigilance cannot always counteract a well-laid trap.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEP CTLR ISSUED CLIMB AND VECTOR TO THE WRONG ACFT.

Narrative: WE HAD EXPERIENCED CONFUSION OVER OUR CALL SIGN, ACR AAYZ AND ACR ABYZ DURING TAXI AT ORD. ON THIS DAY WE WERE EXTRA VIGILANT, AS ACR ABYZ WAS 2 ACFT AHEAD OF US FOR RWY 9L. THE TWR HAD A LITTLE TROUBLE WITH THE ACR ABYZ CALL SIGN WHEN CLRING HIM TO DEP CTL. HE THEN CALLED US ACR AAZZ. THE F/O CORRECTED THE TWR. AFTER TKOF, AROUND 3000' MSL, DEP CLRED US TO TURN TO 220 DEGS AND CLB TO FL230. THEN WE HEARD ACR ABYZ CLRED TO TURN TO 220 DEGS AND 14000'. I COMMENTED TO THE CREW IT WAS ODD THAT ACR ABYZ WAS CLRED TO A LOWER ALT THAN WE WERE. THEN WE HEARD THE CTLR AND THE SUPVR TELL US TO STOP CLB AND STOP TURN. WE WERE ABOUT 210 DEGS AND 6000'. WE WERE TOLD TO TURN TO 180 DEGS AND MAINTAIN 6000'. THE SUPVR CHASTISED US ABOUT LISTENING FOR OUR PROPER CALL SIGN. WE RESPONDED THAT ALL 3 OF US HAD HEARD ACR ABYZ CLRED TO 220 DEGS AND FL230. SHORTLY AFTERWARD, THE CTLR CLRED US TO 14000' AND 220 DEGS. I KNOW WE CAN DO BETTER THAN 2 LENGTHY AND YET SIMILAR CALL SIGNS DEPARTING AT THE SAME TIME. EVEN EXTRA VIGILANCE CANNOT ALWAYS COUNTERACT A WELL-LAID TRAP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.