Narrative:

We were cleared into position and hold on runway 22 at bwi. Another flight same call sign but different but similar flight number, was cleared into position to hold on runway 15L at bwi. While I was taxiing onto the runway and we were completing our runway checklist, the first officer and I thought ATC cleared our flight for takeoff. We completed our checklist, the first officer acknowledged the clearance, and we proceeded the takeoff roll. ATC spotted us rolling and told us to abort the takeoff, that we were not cleared for takeoff. We had an indicated airspeed of about 60 KTS. We aborted, no conflict with other aircraft occurred and we taxied back to runway 22 for departure. We feel this event arose by the flight crew (us) being occupied with checklist and similar flight numbers/call signs. Also, we read back what we thought was a clearance for us to takeoff and ATC didn't catch the mistake until we were on the takeoff roll. Regional/commuter airlines should not have similar flight numbers.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DHC8 ACFT IN POS TO HOLD ON RWY. ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGN WAS CLRED FOR TKOF, RPTR FLC THOUGHT IT WAS THEM AND ANSWERED THE CLRNC. TWR CTLR DIDN'T CATCH THE WRONG CALL SIGN, BUT CALLED FOR THE ABORT WHEN OBSERVING FLC COMMENCE TKOF ROLL.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 22 AT BWI. ANOTHER FLT SAME CALL SIGN BUT DIFFERENT BUT SIMILAR FLT NUMBER, WAS CLRED INTO POS TO HOLD ON RWY 15L AT BWI. WHILE I WAS TAXIING ONTO THE RWY AND WE WERE COMPLETING OUR RWY CHKLIST, THE FO AND I THOUGHT ATC CLRED OUR FLT FOR TKOF. WE COMPLETED OUR CHKLIST, THE FO ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC, AND WE PROCEEDED THE TKOF ROLL. ATC SPOTTED US ROLLING AND TOLD US TO ABORT THE TKOF, THAT WE WERE NOT CLRED FOR TKOF. WE HAD AN INDICATED AIRSPD OF ABOUT 60 KTS. WE ABORTED, NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT OCCURRED AND WE TAXIED BACK TO RWY 22 FOR DEP. WE FEEL THIS EVENT AROSE BY THE FLC (US) BEING OCCUPIED WITH CHKLIST AND SIMILAR FLT NUMBERS/CALL SIGNS. ALSO, WE READ BACK WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS A CLRNC FOR US TO TKOF AND ATC DIDN'T CATCH THE MISTAKE UNTIL WE WERE ON THE TKOF ROLL. REGIONAL/COMMUTER AIRLINES SHOULD NOT HAVE SIMILAR FLT NUMBERS.

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.