Narrative:

Abc flight xyd (stl-mdw) taxied to runway 30L on taxiway a. Abc flight xya (stl-ord) taxied to runway 30L on taxiway P. Flight xya is given a release time of XA30L by the ground controller due to spacing off stl to ord and instructed to hold short of 30L on south on the north side of runway 30L and monitor the tower. At XA30L the tower issued the following clearance: 'abc xya taxi into position and hold runway 30L.' we acknowledged the clearance and as I released the brakes and pushed the throttles up to taxi onto the runway, I noticed an aircraft on the south side of runway 30L on s-turn on his taxi light and then his landing lights. Aircraft nose to nose at departure end of 30L. The glare of his lights were blinding and I flashed my nose lights on and off to attempt to get him to reduce his lighting. I then realized that he was taxiing onto the runway head on to us! I stopped short of the runway and let him turn onto the runway and asked the tower for a verification of the clearance. We were correct and the other aircraft, flight xyd, took our clearance and the tower did not hear him acknowledge because we both replied to the tower at the same time. The local asked, 'who is in position on runway 30L?' xyd responded. We verified still holding short, xyd cleared for takeoff. Pertinent factors: similar call signs to the same destination, city, creates the possibility of many errors from pushback to approach for flight crews and ATC personnel. Carriers should be prohibited from using similar call signs when both aircraft depart or arrive at close intervals. If similar call signs occur (due to delays) outbnd, the ground controller should start the precautionary 'be advised flight xyd is also on the frequency' statements.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 ACR-MLG WITH SAME COMPANY AND SIMILAR CALL SIGNS BOTH ANSWER CLRNC AND WRONG MLG ENTERS RWY.

Narrative: ABC FLT XYD (STL-MDW) TAXIED TO RWY 30L ON TXWY A. ABC FLT XYA (STL-ORD) TAXIED TO RWY 30L ON TXWY P. FLT XYA IS GIVEN A RELEASE TIME OF XA30L BY THE GND CTLR DUE TO SPACING OFF STL TO ORD AND INSTRUCTED TO HOLD SHORT OF 30L ON S ON THE N SIDE OF RWY 30L AND MONITOR THE TWR. AT XA30L THE TWR ISSUED THE FOLLOWING CLRNC: 'ABC XYA TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD RWY 30L.' WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC AND AS I RELEASED THE BRAKES AND PUSHED THE THROTTLES UP TO TAXI ONTO THE RWY, I NOTICED AN ACFT ON THE S SIDE OF RWY 30L ON S-TURN ON HIS TAXI LIGHT AND THEN HIS LNDG LIGHTS. ACFT NOSE TO NOSE AT DEP END OF 30L. THE GLARE OF HIS LIGHTS WERE BLINDING AND I FLASHED MY NOSE LIGHTS ON AND OFF TO ATTEMPT TO GET HIM TO REDUCE HIS LIGHTING. I THEN REALIZED THAT HE WAS TAXIING ONTO THE RWY HEAD ON TO US! I STOPPED SHORT OF THE RWY AND LET HIM TURN ONTO THE RWY AND ASKED THE TWR FOR A VERIFICATION OF THE CLRNC. WE WERE CORRECT AND THE OTHER ACFT, FLT XYD, TOOK OUR CLRNC AND THE TWR DID NOT HEAR HIM ACKNOWLEDGE BECAUSE WE BOTH REPLIED TO THE TWR AT THE SAME TIME. THE LCL ASKED, 'WHO IS IN POS ON RWY 30L?' XYD RESPONDED. WE VERIFIED STILL HOLDING SHORT, XYD CLRED FOR TKOF. PERTINENT FACTORS: SIMILAR CALL SIGNS TO THE SAME DEST, CITY, CREATES THE POSSIBILITY OF MANY ERRORS FROM PUSHBACK TO APCH FOR FLT CREWS AND ATC PERSONNEL. CARRIERS SHOULD BE PROHIBITED FROM USING SIMILAR CALL SIGNS WHEN BOTH ACFT DEPART OR ARRIVE AT CLOSE INTERVALS. IF SIMILAR CALL SIGNS OCCUR (DUE TO DELAYS) OUTBND, THE GND CTLR SHOULD START THE PRECAUTIONARY 'BE ADVISED FLT XYD IS ALSO ON THE FREQ' STATEMENTS.

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.