RPTR WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGN ASSIGNED A HDG TURN IN ERROR BY CTLR.

Date: 1995-11 · Aircraft: Jetstream 31 · Phase: approach

Anomalies: deviation-track-heading-all-types

Synopsis

RPTR WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGN ASSIGNED A HDG TURN IN ERROR BY CTLR.

Narrative

AFTER WE HAD BEEN VECTORED TO JOIN THE LOC BACK COURSE FOR RWY 23 AT CLT; THE FINAL CTLR ASSIGNED A DSCNT TO 4000 FT MSL. WHILE DSNDING ON LOC BACK COURSE; CTLR ISSUED A L TURN TO 360 DEGS. THINKING HE WANTED A R TURN (SHORTER DISTANCE TO 360 DEGS) I ASKED THE PNF (A CAPT) TO CONFIRM IF THE CTLR MEANT R TO 360 DEGS. AFTER APPROX 20 SECONDS OF CONTINUOUS COMS WITH OTHER ACFT; THE PNF DID ASK IF HE WANTED A L OR R TURN TO 360 DEGS. CTLR CONFIRMED THE L TURN HDG. AFTER TURNING THROUGH ABOUT 190 DEGS; CTLR ISSUED AN 'IMMEDIATE' R TURN TO 250 DEGS AND ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. AFTER ACKNOWLEDGING WE DID; WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH. AFTER LNDG; TWR ASKED IF WE WOULD CALL TRACON WHEN WE GOT A CHANCE. WHILE TALKING TO THE TWR SUPVR; HE ASKED WHY WE TURNED OFF THE LOC BACK COURSE? I EXPLAINED THE FINAL CTLR HAD TOLD US TO; AND HE TOLD ME THE CTLR HAD GIVEN THOSE INSTRUCTIONS (L TURN TO 360 DEGS TO ANOTHER ACFT NXXBA. BOTH OF US (PLTS) THOUGHT THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE L TURN WAS FOR US NXXAB; EVEN AFTER WE ASKED ABOUT THE TURN. OUR FLT ATTENDANT HAD BEEN LISTENING ON A HEADSET; AND SHE HEARD THE SAME INSTRUCTIONS WE HEARD. THE TWR SUPVR TOLD ME THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT AND SAID HE DIDN'T WANT TO 'TAG' THE TAPES AND LISTEN TO THEM. I ASKED HIM TO DO SO BECAUSE I WANTED TO KNOW IF WE HAD INDEED HEARD THE WRONG TAIL NUMBER. THE NEXT DAY I CALLED THE AREA MGR TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE RESULTS OF THE TAPE REPLAY. I WAS TOLD; 'YOU GUYS DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG; WE SCREWED UP.' THIS WAS ALL I COULD GET OUT OF HIM. I TRIED TO FIND OUT WHAT COULD BE DONE ON MY PART AND HIS TO HELP PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. THIS WAS TO NO AVAIL. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME AND OTHER FELLOW PLTS. IN MY OPINION; CLT IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.