Narrative:

My aircraft (air carrier yxzz) was given position and hold on runway 18R (shortened to 6300 ft). Air carrier yzxz was apparently also given position and hold on runway 27. I didn't hear the similar call signs. I heard, after in position, 'air carrier yxzz cleared for takeoff.' I may have mistaken the call sign. I read back the takeoff clearance, we completed our line-up checklist, and started our takeoff roll. At about 90 KTS, tower called for an aircraft to abort the takeoff. I looked out of the cockpit as the first officer started the abort and saw the CL65 (yzxz) rolling on runway 27. We stopped short of taxiway J and watched as yzxz continued its takeoff roll. We then taxied back to runway 18R and had a normal takeoff. At this time (soon after incident) I have not heard the tower tapes, but it appears certain that one of us misunderstood the call sign, we both read it back simultaneously, and the tower controller didn't hear both callbacks. The high volume of departures at this time, with takeoffs from runway 18R and runway 36, made tower frequency somewhat hectic. I possibly mistook a call sign for ours, so I need to listen closer to clrncs. I don't know of a way to change procedures to keep this from rehappening, just increased vigilance while listening. The tower controller did a nice job of recognizing the problem after it developed and calling for an abort.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POS AND HOLD CLRNC IS ISSUED TO 2 ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS SIMULTANEOUSLY ON 2 INTERSECTING RWYS. THEN THE CLRNC FOR TKOF IS GIVEN AND BOTH ACFT COMMENCE THEIR TKOF SIMULTANEOUSLY.

Narrative: MY ACFT (ACR YXZZ) WAS GIVEN POS AND HOLD ON RWY 18R (SHORTENED TO 6300 FT). ACR YZXZ WAS APPARENTLY ALSO GIVEN POS AND HOLD ON RWY 27. I DIDN'T HEAR THE SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. I HEARD, AFTER IN POS, 'ACR YXZZ CLRED FOR TKOF.' I MAY HAVE MISTAKEN THE CALL SIGN. I READ BACK THE TKOF CLRNC, WE COMPLETED OUR LINE-UP CHKLIST, AND STARTED OUR TKOF ROLL. AT ABOUT 90 KTS, TWR CALLED FOR AN ACFT TO ABORT THE TKOF. I LOOKED OUT OF THE COCKPIT AS THE FO STARTED THE ABORT AND SAW THE CL65 (YZXZ) ROLLING ON RWY 27. WE STOPPED SHORT OF TXWY J AND WATCHED AS YZXZ CONTINUED ITS TKOF ROLL. WE THEN TAXIED BACK TO RWY 18R AND HAD A NORMAL TKOF. AT THIS TIME (SOON AFTER INCIDENT) I HAVE NOT HEARD THE TWR TAPES, BUT IT APPEARS CERTAIN THAT ONE OF US MISUNDERSTOOD THE CALL SIGN, WE BOTH READ IT BACK SIMULTANEOUSLY, AND THE TWR CTLR DIDN'T HEAR BOTH CALLBACKS. THE HIGH VOLUME OF DEPS AT THIS TIME, WITH TKOFS FROM RWY 18R AND RWY 36, MADE TWR FREQ SOMEWHAT HECTIC. I POSSIBLY MISTOOK A CALL SIGN FOR OURS, SO I NEED TO LISTEN CLOSER TO CLRNCS. I DON'T KNOW OF A WAY TO CHANGE PROCS TO KEEP THIS FROM REHAPPENING, JUST INCREASED VIGILANCE WHILE LISTENING. THE TWR CTLR DID A NICE JOB OF RECOGNIZING THE PROB AFTER IT DEVELOPED AND CALLING FOR AN ABORT.

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.