Medium Transport; High Wing; 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Time Pressure; Training / Qualification; Distraction; Workload; Communication Breakdown; Confusion
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Company Policy; Human Factors; Weather
Upon arrival at the crew room the weather was forecast to be below the high minimums required of the Captain for his less than 100 hours of experience; and thus we would need a new release because that it was not legal for him to be released as captain to the destination. I went out to the aircraft to pre-flight and monitor the loading. After working with dispatch the Captain came out to the aircraft and told me that we were now released to ZZZ1 to make an attempt at ZZZ if the weather was above minimums. I picked up the clearance under the original call sign ABA and once the loading was complete we departed. Once on with Center; we requested direct with the hopes of being able to shoot the approach or as an intermediary fix for en route. When we were close enough to pick up the weather at ZZZ we determined that it was good enough to request a change of destination. When we requested the change; Center informed us that ZZZ was our filed destination already. This caused confusion and I inquired as to where we had been released to. The Captain checked the release and said we were filed to ZZZ1. I then examined the release and pointed out that we were not ABA the original call sign; but we were supposed be operating under the call sign of CCC but our flight number still remained DABA. Having not reviewed the new release; I was unaware of the call sign change. There was no action that could be taken at that time and we continued with the flight; starting the approach. The Captain was already rushed and under stress from the three separate releases that he had to review and reject and is not completely familiar with the operation. The call sign change with the flight number remaining the same is not something that would be blatantly obvious to him and it went overlooked.I would suggest that when there is to be a change to the flight call sign; the original clearance should be voided. A remark should be added to the release informing of the call sign change; making it obvious. When the Captain is a new hire; extra attention should be paid to inform them of changes. Often in situations such as this where there is a time constraint and a complex solution to the problem being faced by an inexperienced captain; the crew member in the right seat is a more experienced Captain. Give the PIC to the more experienced captain to keep the stress level lower and keep the operation on track. Making the priority to get the new captain their first 100 hours of experience leads to simple mistakes that compound the situation leading to more delays and possible violations.
The First Officer; who is a qualified Captain; flew with a high minimums Captain. They were cleared to an airport that was below high-minimums; but they were released to a nearby airport. There was confusion over call signs and flight numbers; but the weather improved and the flight landed at the intended destination uneventfully.