Unauthorized runway entry.

Attributes
ACN	183145
Time
Date	199107
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rnt
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 225 flight time type : 171
ASRS Report	183145
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was in small aircraft 123GY and told to hold short of runway 33. There were numerous aircraft in the pattern (touch and goes and landing). At least 3 other aircraft were holding behind me and the number of aircraft calling to enter the air traffic area were increasing. An aircraft in the pattern belonged to my club and had a similar call sign small aircraft 123RY. 123RY had completed a touch and go, flown the pattern and was cleared to do either a full stop or a touch and go and then depart the pattern. I called tower and told them I was at the hold line and was told to continue holding, because there were landing aircraft. This primed me to expect to hear 123GY position and hold, or cleared for immediate takeoff (this was an error in my perception). An aircraft passed the touch down end of the runway and I heard small aircraft 123.. And assumed it was 123GY, position and hold, so I started to taxi. As I xed the hold line I saw that the aircraft was 123RY, and heard the tower continue talking to them. I braked and stopped several ft on the runway side of the lines. To avoid similar situations. Listen to the tower and get their complete instructions. Don't assume. Be extremely careful when aircraft with similar call signs (including the first 2 numbers) are talking to the same controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTHORIZED RWY ENTRY.

Narrative: I WAS IN SMA 123GY AND TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 33. THERE WERE NUMEROUS ACFT IN THE PATTERN (TOUCH AND GOES AND LNDG). AT LEAST 3 OTHER ACFT WERE HOLDING BEHIND ME AND THE NUMBER OF ACFT CALLING TO ENTER THE ATA WERE INCREASING. AN ACFT IN THE PATTERN BELONGED TO MY CLUB AND HAD A SIMILAR CALL SIGN SMA 123RY. 123RY HAD COMPLETED A TOUCH AND GO, FLOWN THE PATTERN AND WAS CLRED TO DO EITHER A FULL STOP OR A TOUCH AND GO AND THEN DEPART THE PATTERN. I CALLED TWR AND TOLD THEM I WAS AT THE HOLD LINE AND WAS TOLD TO CONTINUE HOLDING, BECAUSE THERE WERE LNDG ACFT. THIS PRIMED ME TO EXPECT TO HEAR 123GY POS AND HOLD, OR CLRED FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF (THIS WAS AN ERROR IN MY PERCEPTION). AN ACFT PASSED THE TOUCH DOWN END OF THE RWY AND I HEARD SMA 123.. AND ASSUMED IT WAS 123GY, POS AND HOLD, SO I STARTED TO TAXI. AS I XED THE HOLD LINE I SAW THAT THE ACFT WAS 123RY, AND HEARD THE TWR CONTINUE TALKING TO THEM. I BRAKED AND STOPPED SEVERAL FT ON THE RWY SIDE OF THE LINES. TO AVOID SIMILAR SITUATIONS. LISTEN TO THE TWR AND GET THEIR COMPLETE INSTRUCTIONS. DON'T ASSUME. BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL WHEN ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS (INCLUDING THE FIRST 2 NUMBERS) ARE TALKING TO THE SAME CTLR.

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.