Narrative:

Ord tower cleared us for takeoff on runway 32L from the T1 intersection, asked us to keep the preceding in sight, he was going straight out and to turn as soon as possible to 360 degrees. We took off as cleared, turned and was told to contact departure. We reported to departure that we were leaving 2200' and on a heading of 360 degrees. Departure then only used a number to identify the aircraft and we (all 3 of us) heard our number, a clearance to turn left to 270 degrees. I read back the clearance of a 270 degree heading and our number. Departure then gave us a call saying radar contact and climb to 6000'. I read back the 6000' and asked about traffic at 12 O'clock and higher than us. This traffic I had in sight since we left approximately 2000'. We passed approximately 2500' horizontal to large transport C when he was descending and we were climbing. We both turned away from each other to increase sep. We also had the mdt X in sight at all times and due to our climb during the incident, I believe that the 270 degree turn was issued to another aircraft. When I called back with my acknowledgement of air carrier icg, 'turn left to 270,' that confirmed it. There was also an air carrier B ivg on the frequency. If controllers would listen to the readback, or the squeal in the case of 2 airplanes answering, and use company names in their calls, this would not happen. Supplemental information from acn 95272: the conflict was between large transport icg and another company large transport C on left downwind for runway 9R at ord. Large transport icg had contact with the other large transport C at all times. Departure control asked if we saw the other large transport C. We said we did. She said no problem and switched us to center frequency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR-LGT ANSWERED CLRNC FOR ANOTHER FLT WITH SIMILAR A/N CALL SIGN CAUSING POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH CROSSING ACR-LGT.

Narrative: ORD TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF ON RWY 32L FROM THE T1 INTXN, ASKED US TO KEEP THE PRECEDING IN SIGHT, HE WAS GOING STRAIGHT OUT AND TO TURN ASAP TO 360 DEGS. WE TOOK OFF AS CLRED, TURNED AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT DEP. WE RPTED TO DEP THAT WE WERE LEAVING 2200' AND ON A HDG OF 360 DEGS. DEP THEN ONLY USED A NUMBER TO IDENT THE ACFT AND WE (ALL 3 OF US) HEARD OUR NUMBER, A CLRNC TO TURN LEFT TO 270 DEGS. I READ BACK THE CLRNC OF A 270 DEG HDG AND OUR NUMBER. DEP THEN GAVE US A CALL SAYING RADAR CONTACT AND CLB TO 6000'. I READ BACK THE 6000' AND ASKED ABOUT TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK AND HIGHER THAN US. THIS TFC I HAD IN SIGHT SINCE WE LEFT APPROX 2000'. WE PASSED APPROX 2500' HORIZ TO LGT C WHEN HE WAS DSNDING AND WE WERE CLBING. WE BOTH TURNED AWAY FROM EACH OTHER TO INCREASE SEP. WE ALSO HAD THE MDT X IN SIGHT AT ALL TIMES AND DUE TO OUR CLB DURING THE INCIDENT, I BELIEVE THAT THE 270 DEG TURN WAS ISSUED TO ANOTHER ACFT. WHEN I CALLED BACK WITH MY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ACR ICG, 'TURN LEFT TO 270,' THAT CONFIRMED IT. THERE WAS ALSO AN ACR B IVG ON THE FREQ. IF CTLRS WOULD LISTEN TO THE READBACK, OR THE SQUEAL IN THE CASE OF 2 AIRPLANES ANSWERING, AND USE COMPANY NAMES IN THEIR CALLS, THIS WOULD NOT HAPPEN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 95272: THE CONFLICT WAS BTWN LGT ICG AND ANOTHER COMPANY LGT C ON LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RWY 9R AT ORD. LGT ICG HAD CONTACT WITH THE OTHER LGT C AT ALL TIMES. DEP CTL ASKED IF WE SAW THE OTHER LGT C. WE SAID WE DID. SHE SAID NO PROB AND SWITCHED US TO CENTER FREQ.

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.