Trainee instructor pilot responded to the wrong similar sounding call sign and taxied onto runway fo...

Attributes
ACN	407650
Time
Date	199807
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bed
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	407650
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared 'into position and hold' on runway 29. We declined and requested to 'hold short' as we needed to have CFI applicant (student) demonstrate a soft field takeoff from a rolling takeoff. 1 aircraft landed as we held short as we discussed soft field takeoff procedures. CFI applicant acknowledged what she was sure was a clearance 'for runway 15 cleared for immediate to the northwest' (we had requested a northwest departure initially). I heard the tower use the numbers which was very possibly a saratoga call sign which was being controled by hanscom tower at the time. CFI applicant acknowledged 'cessna call sign roger.' CFI applicant taxied onto active runway 29 after I had determined there was no conflict. There was an aircraft, possibly a saratoga (aircraft and color piper single engine aircraft) on final which we estimated to be beyond a mi out on final with landing lights on. Tower controller transmitted that we needed to be cleared for takeoff, and to make an immediate 180 degrees and hold short. I took control at this point (when tower called) and expedited our departure from the runway past the hold short line. I called tower on VHF to apologize before takeoff and after the mission on ground. My student and I then went to the tower after securing the aircraft and apologized to the tower chief, senior controller and tower controller and to discuss the circumstances. We then discovered that there was an aircraft with a similar call sign. This flight was a training flight for a CFI trainee.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRAINEE INSTRUCTOR PLT RESPONDED TO THE WRONG SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN AND TAXIED ONTO RWY FOR TKOF WHEN ANOTHER ACFT WAS CLRED FOR LNDG. ATCT LCL CTLR INTERVENED TO INSTRUCT RPTR INSTRUCTOR PLT TO CLR THE RWY FOR LNDG TFC.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED 'INTO POS AND HOLD' ON RWY 29. WE DECLINED AND REQUESTED TO 'HOLD SHORT' AS WE NEEDED TO HAVE CFI APPLICANT (STUDENT) DEMONSTRATE A SOFT FIELD TKOF FROM A ROLLING TKOF. 1 ACFT LANDED AS WE HELD SHORT AS WE DISCUSSED SOFT FIELD TKOF PROCS. CFI APPLICANT ACKNOWLEDGED WHAT SHE WAS SURE WAS A CLRNC 'FOR RWY 15 CLRED FOR IMMEDIATE TO THE NW' (WE HAD REQUESTED A NW DEP INITIALLY). I HEARD THE TWR USE THE NUMBERS WHICH WAS VERY POSSIBLY A SARATOGA CALL SIGN WHICH WAS BEING CTLED BY HANSCOM TWR AT THE TIME. CFI APPLICANT ACKNOWLEDGED 'CESSNA CALL SIGN ROGER.' CFI APPLICANT TAXIED ONTO ACTIVE RWY 29 AFTER I HAD DETERMINED THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. THERE WAS AN ACFT, POSSIBLY A SARATOGA (ACFT AND COLOR PIPER SINGLE ENG ACFT) ON FINAL WHICH WE ESTIMATED TO BE BEYOND A MI OUT ON FINAL WITH LNDG LIGHTS ON. TWR CTLR XMITTED THAT WE NEEDED TO BE CLRED FOR TKOF, AND TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE 180 DEGS AND HOLD SHORT. I TOOK CTL AT THIS POINT (WHEN TWR CALLED) AND EXPEDITED OUR DEP FROM THE RWY PAST THE HOLD SHORT LINE. I CALLED TWR ON VHF TO APOLOGIZE BEFORE TKOF AND AFTER THE MISSION ON GND. MY STUDENT AND I THEN WENT TO THE TWR AFTER SECURING THE ACFT AND APOLOGIZED TO THE TWR CHIEF, SENIOR CTLR AND TWR CTLR AND TO DISCUSS THE CIRCUMSTANCES. WE THEN DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS AN ACFT WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN. THIS FLT WAS A TRAINING FLT FOR A CFI TRAINEE.

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.

Trainee instructor pilot responded to the wrong similar sounding call sign and taxied onto runway for takeoff when another aircraft was cleared for landing. ATCT local controller intervened to instruct reporter instructor pilot to clear the runway for landing traffic.