During the takeoff roll at a NFCT field, a cessna pilot discovered that he had accepted the takeoff ...

Attributes
ACN	312767
Time
Date	199508
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mtn
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna Aircraft Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Cessna Aircraft Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	312767
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
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 #2 for takeoff on runway 15 at my home base, mtn. The tower controllers often issue non-standard instructions to move traffic. Mtn is not busy, but has a mix of students, business jets, and military C130's, A10's. A hawker landed, there was an on-field emergency dispatching 6 emergency vehicles past the 2 of us waiting for takeoff (both had told tower we were ready and were told to hold short). Tower had plane on final go around due to emergency vehicles, then asked cessna in front of me if he could 'take it on the roll, an immediate departure.' he departed, I moved up to hold line, a plane landed, then I heard the tower ask 'xab, can you take it on the roll immediate?' I responded 'xab affirmative.' I heard 'ab cleared immediate takeoff, traffic on short final, right downwind departure approved.' by now I was rolling, checking cockpit, and lining up on runway 15. As I got to full power, I saw another cessna halfway down the runway lifting off. At first I thought the previous arrival did a long touch and go, but quickly realized it was another departure. I think the cessna ahead of me was 'zhb' we stepped on each other replying to the tower, then both took rolling takeoffs assuming we had been cleared. We were closer than normal, about 'oshkosh close.' no problem. Underlying cause was my rush to depart, and hearing what I wanted to hear. Secondary cause was tower's use of non-standard clrncs and terminology, (failure to clarify he was talking alternately to 2 planes with similar call signs). I did not seek to clarify situation with tower controller due to recognizing his voice. He has an attitude most of the time. Sure enough, 4 hours later on return I got an earful, not about this incident, but about whether I'd called in 'west' or 'northwest' of the airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING THE TKOF ROLL AT A NFCT FIELD, A CESSNA PLT DISCOVERED THAT HE HAD ACCEPTED THE TKOF CLRNC OF AN ACFT WITH A SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN. NO CONFLICT RESULTED.

Narrative: I WAS #2 FOR TKOF ON RWY 15 AT MY HOME BASE, MTN. THE TWR CTLRS OFTEN ISSUE NON-STANDARD INSTRUCTIONS TO MOVE TFC. MTN IS NOT BUSY, BUT HAS A MIX OF STUDENTS, BUSINESS JETS, AND MIL C130'S, A10'S. A HAWKER LANDED, THERE WAS AN ON-FIELD EMER DISPATCHING 6 EMER VEHICLES PAST THE 2 OF US WAITING FOR TKOF (BOTH HAD TOLD TWR WE WERE READY AND WERE TOLD TO HOLD SHORT). TWR HAD PLANE ON FINAL GAR DUE TO EMER VEHICLES, THEN ASKED CESSNA IN FRONT OF ME IF HE COULD 'TAKE IT ON THE ROLL, AN IMMEDIATE DEP.' HE DEPARTED, I MOVED UP TO HOLD LINE, A PLANE LANDED, THEN I HEARD THE TWR ASK 'XAB, CAN YOU TAKE IT ON THE ROLL IMMEDIATE?' I RESPONDED 'XAB AFFIRMATIVE.' I HEARD 'AB CLRED IMMEDIATE TKOF, TFC ON SHORT FINAL, R DOWNWIND DEP APPROVED.' BY NOW I WAS ROLLING, CHKING COCKPIT, AND LINING UP ON RWY 15. AS I GOT TO FULL PWR, I SAW ANOTHER CESSNA HALFWAY DOWN THE RWY LIFTING OFF. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THE PREVIOUS ARR DID A LONG TOUCH AND GO, BUT QUICKLY REALIZED IT WAS ANOTHER DEP. I THINK THE CESSNA AHEAD OF ME WAS 'ZHB' WE STEPPED ON EACH OTHER REPLYING TO THE TWR, THEN BOTH TOOK ROLLING TKOFS ASSUMING WE HAD BEEN CLRED. WE WERE CLOSER THAN NORMAL, ABOUT 'OSHKOSH CLOSE.' NO PROB. UNDERLYING CAUSE WAS MY RUSH TO DEPART, AND HEARING WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR. SECONDARY CAUSE WAS TWR'S USE OF NON-STANDARD CLRNCS AND TERMINOLOGY, (FAILURE TO CLARIFY HE WAS TALKING ALTERNATELY TO 2 PLANES WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS). I DID NOT SEEK TO CLARIFY SIT WITH TWR CTLR DUE TO RECOGNIZING HIS VOICE. HE HAS AN ATTITUDE MOST OF THE TIME. SURE ENOUGH, 4 HRS LATER ON RETURN I GOT AN EARFUL, NOT ABOUT THIS INCIDENT, BUT ABOUT WHETHER I'D CALLED IN 'W' OR 'NW' OF THE ARPT.

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.

During the takeoff roll at a NFCT field, a cessna pilot discovered that he had accepted the takeoff clearance of an aircraft with a similar sounding call sign. No conflict resulted.