Narrative:

I plugged in to local control and advised her that I had the status. Local control gave me the briefing. The controller indicated a rebas departure rolling on runway 01L; a SF8 departure rolling on runway 01R and indicated the arrivals on final. The controller stated that there were no helicopters or transitions and I told the controller I had the position. The controller moved back away from the position and I and moved into the position. I scanned the departing traffic and I noticed that the runway 01L departure was in fact a CRJ2 and it was still going straight out. I thought that the controller had said that it was a rebas; which is a 'prop' departure. I thought that it should be an E120 and it should be turning left by now. I looked at the strips in front of me and I found a strip for an E120; rebas. I looked for a strip for a CRJ2; but I didn't see one. Then the CRJ2 asked 'tower; should we do a runway heading? We are on a SF8 and ...' I looked at the upwind traffic and saw the CRJ2 going straight out at about 200 ft altitude off the departure end of runway 01L; and next to him was an A320 at about the same altitude going straight out off runway 01R. I told the CRJ2 to 'fly runway heading. The coordinator pointed to my strips and said something like 'that's the wrong strip!' I heard the coordinator begin to coordinate with ci-1 (nct TRACON) as I saw the A320 begin their right turn away from the CRJ2 which was still going straight out. The CRJ2 acknowledged the runway heading. I told the A320 to contact departure. Someone brought over the strip for the CRJ2 and I told him to contact departure. Recommendation; this event must have begun at ground control when they confused the strips. Neither ground control nor local control noticed. The pilots and the controllers didn't hear the different call sign/s. I can easily see that this might happen with such similar sounding call signs. This has happened at least two; maybe three times as the aircraft was taxied to the runway; told to line up and wait; and then cleared for take off. Ground control and local control as well as perhaps the coordinator had opportunity to look at the strip as well as scan out the window to see the difference between the E120 on the strip and the actual aircraft; the CRJ2. I failed to notice that the 'rebas' departing runway 01L was in fact a crj until I had physically moved into the position and taken a good look at the strips. By then the pilot realized that something was wrong; since he was supposed to make a right turn; but there was an A320 directly to his right. He did the right thing and asked a question. Local control definitely needs to match the strip with the aircraft they see at the runway for positive identification. I was complacent in accepting the position before I had actually read the strips of at least the rolling aircraft. I just assumed that they were what I was told they were.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SFO Controller described a confused departure event involving two Air Carrier aircraft on parallel tracks of Runways 1L/R; the reporter noting wrong strips were present at the position prompting the confusion.

Narrative: I plugged in to Local Control and advised her that I had the status. Local Control gave me the briefing. The Controller indicated a Rebas departure rolling on Runway 01L; a SF8 departure rolling on Runway 01R and indicated the arrivals on final. The Controller stated that there were no helicopters or transitions and I told the Controller I had the position. The Controller moved back away from the position and I and moved into the position. I scanned the departing traffic and I noticed that the Runway 01L departure was in fact a CRJ2 and it was still going straight out. I thought that the Controller had said that it was a Rebas; which is a 'prop' departure. I thought that it should be an E120 and it should be turning left by now. I looked at the strips in front of me and I found a strip for an E120; Rebas. I looked for a strip for a CRJ2; but I didn't see one. Then the CRJ2 asked 'Tower; should we do a runway heading? We are on a SF8 and ...' I looked at the upwind traffic and saw the CRJ2 going straight out at about 200 FT altitude off the departure end of Runway 01L; and next to him was an A320 at about the same altitude going straight out off Runway 01R. I told the CRJ2 to 'Fly runway heading. The coordinator pointed to my strips and said something like 'That's the wrong strip!' I heard the coordinator begin to coordinate with CI-1 (NCT TRACON) as I saw the A320 begin their right turn away from the CRJ2 which was still going straight out. The CRJ2 acknowledged the runway heading. I told the A320 to contact Departure. Someone brought over the strip for the CRJ2 and I told him to contact Departure. Recommendation; this event must have begun at Ground Control when they confused the strips. Neither Ground Control nor Local Control noticed. The pilots and the controllers didn't hear the different call sign/s. I can easily see that this might happen with such similar sounding call signs. This has happened at least two; maybe three times as the aircraft was taxied to the runway; told to line up and wait; and then cleared for take off. Ground Control and Local Control as well as perhaps the coordinator had opportunity to look at the strip as well as scan out the window to see the difference between the E120 on the strip and the actual aircraft; the CRJ2. I failed to notice that the 'Rebas' departing Runway 01L was in fact a CRJ until I had physically moved into the position and taken a good look at the strips. By then the pilot realized that something was wrong; since he was supposed to make a right turn; but there was an A320 directly to his right. He did the right thing and asked a question. Local Control definitely needs to match the strip with the aircraft they see at the runway for positive identification. I was complacent in accepting the position before I had actually read the strips of at least the rolling aircraft. I just assumed that they were what I was told they were.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.