Narrative:

Between XA50 EST and XB00 EST three of our company flts depart ny metropolitan airports with similar call signs. Flts axa, bxa and bya depart from either newark (ewr), (flts axa and bxa), or laguardia (bya), bound for albany, ny (alb), or providence, ri (pvd), respectively. All 3 of the flts are routed on the bridgeport VOR (bdr) 249 degree radial and thence on their own individual routing. The poor ny approach controller was working all 3 of our flts that evening, on top of many others. In the process of issuing altitudes and clrncs he transposed 2 flts, bxa to pvd and our, bya to alb. 1ST he cleared bxa up V-91 out of bdr, maintain 9000'. The crew of bxa straightened out the mistake, and were cleared to 12000' on their flight planned route. Then he issued us (bya) a clearance to climb to 12000', direct soars intersection. After reading back the clearance I began an ascent to 12000' and up to soars. Fortunately, he caught his error before we got past 9300' and we descended back to 9000' before any conflict occurred. I fly this trip (bya) at least twice a week and am cognizant of the close similarities between the flight #south, and use caution on the clrncs. The controller said bya when he should have said bxa, and vice versa. Luckily no damage was done and cooler heads prevailed. But this is a lethal powder keg waiting to blow. I mentioned to our schedule maker and chief pilot about this poor situation. I just hope this is changed before any problems occur. My suggestion is change the flight #south to something less similar sounding. If that cannot be done, use extreme caution, confirm and read back full flight #south and call signs and most important, use standard terminology only.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC ISSUED CLIMB CLRNC TO THE WRONG ACFT.

Narrative: BTWN XA50 EST AND XB00 EST THREE OF OUR COMPANY FLTS DEPART NY METROPOLITAN ARPTS WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. FLTS AXA, BXA AND BYA DEPART FROM EITHER NEWARK (EWR), (FLTS AXA AND BXA), OR LAGUARDIA (BYA), BOUND FOR ALBANY, NY (ALB), OR PROVIDENCE, RI (PVD), RESPECTIVELY. ALL 3 OF THE FLTS ARE ROUTED ON THE BRIDGEPORT VOR (BDR) 249 DEG RADIAL AND THENCE ON THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL ROUTING. THE POOR NY APCH CTLR WAS WORKING ALL 3 OF OUR FLTS THAT EVENING, ON TOP OF MANY OTHERS. IN THE PROCESS OF ISSUING ALTS AND CLRNCS HE TRANSPOSED 2 FLTS, BXA TO PVD AND OUR, BYA TO ALB. 1ST HE CLRED BXA UP V-91 OUT OF BDR, MAINTAIN 9000'. THE CREW OF BXA STRAIGHTENED OUT THE MISTAKE, AND WERE CLRED TO 12000' ON THEIR FLT PLANNED ROUTE. THEN HE ISSUED US (BYA) A CLRNC TO CLB TO 12000', DIRECT SOARS INTXN. AFTER READING BACK THE CLRNC I BEGAN AN ASCENT TO 12000' AND UP TO SOARS. FORTUNATELY, HE CAUGHT HIS ERROR BEFORE WE GOT PAST 9300' AND WE DSNDED BACK TO 9000' BEFORE ANY CONFLICT OCCURRED. I FLY THIS TRIP (BYA) AT LEAST TWICE A WK AND AM COGNIZANT OF THE CLOSE SIMILARITIES BTWN THE FLT #S, AND USE CAUTION ON THE CLRNCS. THE CTLR SAID BYA WHEN HE SHOULD HAVE SAID BXA, AND VICE VERSA. LUCKILY NO DAMAGE WAS DONE AND COOLER HEADS PREVAILED. BUT THIS IS A LETHAL POWDER KEG WAITING TO BLOW. I MENTIONED TO OUR SCHEDULE MAKER AND CHIEF PLT ABOUT THIS POOR SITUATION. I JUST HOPE THIS IS CHANGED BEFORE ANY PROBS OCCUR. MY SUGGESTION IS CHANGE THE FLT #S TO SOMETHING LESS SIMILAR SOUNDING. IF THAT CANNOT BE DONE, USE EXTREME CAUTION, CONFIRM AND READ BACK FULL FLT #S AND CALL SIGNS AND MOST IMPORTANT, USE STANDARD TERMINOLOGY ONLY.

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.