Using wrong tail number under ATC

What do you do when you discover that someone is using your tail number to file a flight plan? This is at least the second time that our Cherokee 8350R has appeared on Flight Aware as a Beechcraft Bonanza. The first time was a flight in September I think originating in Florida. Yesterday, according to Flight Aware it flew from Smyrna (KMQY) to Clark Regional (KJVY), all the while it was sitting in our hangar at KVAY. The first time this happened we didn’t think anything of it. It was probably just a mistake in communications. But, this is the second time this plane has used ATC with our tail number. Is there anything we can or should do? Is this something that should be reported to the FAA? We fly VFR only.

Welcome to Flight Aware!

Good question that I don’t have a direct answer too.

I only can think of causes that may create this problem, one being a person inadvertently saved their flight planning program with your tail number and does not verify the entry when they file OR coincidently on two different flights when they file maybe with FSS a typo OR a typo when ATC entered the data into the system (popup IFR).

I don’t think there is a thing you can do??? Clearly the tail number is assigned to a Piper flightaware.com/resources/registration/N8350R

Be interesting to see what others think on what you can do.

Personally I like the upgrade to a Bo performance at a Piper price, can we arrange that?? 8)

When I file, sometimes I get identified as a Sierra rather then a Sundowner even though I use BE23, so instead of constantly correcting ATC (I usually correct the first mis-identification and thank them for the upgrade), I just enjoy the good sounds of being a BE24 at the price of a BE23.

My FA tracking shows N8250R, a Bonanza on that flight from KMQY/KJVY.
Probably a typo on someone part!

As wingnut said, just a simple typo.

Compare these two:
50R on 7/19/082 and 50R on the same date3

50R on 10/14/082 and 50R on the same date3

In each instance, the second flight is shown with arrivals as result unknown. This indicates one of the following (from the Questions/Answers section of FlightAware:

It means that the estimated arrival time of the flight has passed without FlightAware marking the flight as “arrived.” There are the most likely reasons why this happened:

* The aircraft left the coverage area of the FAA and FlightAware is no longer receiving updates
* The FAA did not send an arrival message for a flight, which is rare.
* FlightAware did not receive or lost the arrival message, although this is even more rare.

In this particular case, I would say that this indicates the FAA didn’t send an arrival message for N8350R because it had corrected the flight progress strip to reflect the correct N number of N8250R.

In other words: No sinister plot is behind the erroneous flight ID.

Probably a typo by someone involved, but it’s hard to say whom.

Call FSDO and tell them your aircraft might have been stolen. That’ll fix it really quick.

Please, please tell me you are kidding??? :confused: :confused: :confused:

Seems our concerns were misplaced.

Great site, awesome members! :smiley:

Yes, I’m kidding.

But, I guarantee you that “typo” would never happen again!!!

If they file the wrong tail number, I wonder what else they screw up?

K, just checking!

Filing a false report with the FSDO wouldn’t be worth ensuring it would never happen again :smiley:

If they filed the wrong number and didn’t know it, I bet they would find out real quick when they contact ATC and give them the correct tail number only to receive a reply “we don’t have your flight plan on file” :stuck_out_tongue:

No kidding!

I’ll humbly admit I’ve made the same mistake once before. ATC or I accidently reversed two of the digits in the tail number in the filing process for a Cessna 172 I rented. When copying my IFR clearance I announced myself to the Clearance Delivery correctly, but they still cleared my under the incorrect tail number.

Half way through the flight I realized they were addressing me incorrectly and they opened a new flight plan under my correct tail number. When I checked tracking on here sure enough, the original flight plan was marked as “Result Unknown.”

I filed a NASA form that day to cover myself, as I was never sure whose mistake it really was. However, ATC was not concerned, thankfully.

I would think the FISDO would be the best contact. Maybe they could take note if it, so if someone tries to file your tailnumber under a different aircraft type they’ll be aware of an error.