Narrative:

Air carrier X while waiting for takeoff clearance on runway 15R was informed by tower that some departures on runway 9 would go ahead of us, we acknowledged. The landing runway was 15R. After a few departures from runway 9 we heard air carrier X cleared to position and hold. During this period of time tower frequency was very busy. The copilot called tower and stated air carrier X cleared to position and hold 15. We heard air carrier X affirmative and then taxied into takeoff position on runway 15R. While waiting for takeoff clearance 20-30 second approximately, a cpr Y called in to tower that they were going to go around because someone was on the runway. 15-20 seconds later we were asked to taxi off runway 15R. We inquired 'is there a problem, we had been cleared to position and hold,' no response. A new controller then came on frequency and repos us for takeoff. About this time an air carrier Z asked tower if there was another aircraft with same numbers on frequency. Contributing factors: two aircraft, with call signs air carrier X and air carrier Z started, taxied and arrived at the ends of two separate takeoff runways. Both arriving and holding short at exactly the same time and waiting for the same clearance. It appears we thought tower was calling us when he cleared air carrier Z to position and hold. We did call tower to confirm clearance and did receive an affirmative response. However I think tower may have been blocked by other xmissions and was responding to air carrier Z thinking that they had called. Neither aircraft was ever informed of the two similar call signs and neither aircraft was aware of the others presence on the airport. Had we both known this, I don't think the incident would have occurred. Boston normally uses two tower frequencys 119.1 for runway 9 and 128.8 for runway 15R as shown on airport diagram. Had they adhered to using separate frequencys both air carrier Z and us air carrier X would not have been exposed to the conflict of like call signs and subjected to all that congestion on frequency and blocking of xmissions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X UNAUTH RWY ENTRY CAUSED CPR Y TO MAKE MISSED APCH. PLTDEV.

Narrative: ACR X WHILE WAITING FOR TKOF CLRNC ON RWY 15R WAS INFORMED BY TWR THAT SOME DEPS ON RWY 9 WOULD GO AHEAD OF US, WE ACKNOWLEDGED. THE LNDG RWY WAS 15R. AFTER A FEW DEPS FROM RWY 9 WE HEARD ACR X CLRED TO POS AND HOLD. DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME TWR FREQ WAS VERY BUSY. THE COPLT CALLED TWR AND STATED ACR X CLRED TO POS AND HOLD 15. WE HEARD ACR X AFFIRMATIVE AND THEN TAXIED INTO TKOF POS ON RWY 15R. WHILE WAITING FOR TKOF CLRNC 20-30 SEC APPROX, A CPR Y CALLED IN TO TWR THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GO AROUND BECAUSE SOMEONE WAS ON THE RWY. 15-20 SECS LATER WE WERE ASKED TO TAXI OFF RWY 15R. WE INQUIRED 'IS THERE A PROB, WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO POS AND HOLD,' NO RESPONSE. A NEW CTLR THEN CAME ON FREQ AND REPOS US FOR TKOF. ABOUT THIS TIME AN ACR Z ASKED TWR IF THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT WITH SAME NUMBERS ON FREQ. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: TWO ACFT, WITH CALL SIGNS ACR X AND ACR Z STARTED, TAXIED AND ARRIVED AT THE ENDS OF TWO SEPARATE TKOF RWYS. BOTH ARRIVING AND HOLDING SHORT AT EXACTLY THE SAME TIME AND WAITING FOR THE SAME CLRNC. IT APPEARS WE THOUGHT TWR WAS CALLING US WHEN HE CLRED ACR Z TO POS AND HOLD. WE DID CALL TWR TO CONFIRM CLRNC AND DID RECEIVE AN AFFIRMATIVE RESPONSE. HOWEVER I THINK TWR MAY HAVE BEEN BLOCKED BY OTHER XMISSIONS AND WAS RESPONDING TO ACR Z THINKING THAT THEY HAD CALLED. NEITHER ACFT WAS EVER INFORMED OF THE TWO SIMILAR CALL SIGNS AND NEITHER ACFT WAS AWARE OF THE OTHERS PRESENCE ON THE ARPT. HAD WE BOTH KNOWN THIS, I DON'T THINK THE INCIDENT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. BOSTON NORMALLY USES TWO TWR FREQS 119.1 FOR RWY 9 AND 128.8 FOR RWY 15R AS SHOWN ON ARPT DIAGRAM. HAD THEY ADHERED TO USING SEPARATE FREQS BOTH ACR Z AND US ACR X WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO THE CONFLICT OF LIKE CALL SIGNS AND SUBJECTED TO ALL THAT CONGESTION ON FREQ AND BLOCKING OF XMISSIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.