Narrative:

At about XA30 and before dawn, we were taxiing as cleared to runway 10R at intersection B4 for takeoff. My partner was controling the aircraft from the left seat while I performed communication and ran checklists from the right seat. A single tower controller was performing all ATC functions and was transmitting on tower, ground, and clearance frequencys. On ground frequency, about 30 seconds before we reached our assigned intersection, we heard 'aircraft X turn left heading 020 degrees, cleared for takeoff.' on ground frequency I replied, 'aircraft X left turn 020 degrees cleared for takeoff.' upon reaching the B4 intersection, we stopped briefly while I assumed control of the aircraft for a right seat takeoff. As I taxied into position, my partner switched to tower frequency and finished our final checklist. We commenced our takeoff roll about 1 min after replying to the clearance. After reaching about 1000 ft AGL, tower told us to turn back to runway heading and that the clearance we'd heard was for a different flight X off runway 10L. No proximity conflict with the other flight X was observed. In the future, I'll be more careful to listen for both a call sign and runway number. When tower controllers work alone, perhaps all activity should be combined on 1 frequency. Supplemental information from acn 450382: pilots and controllers need to continue to be vigilant and precise with our xmissions to include full call signs. This becomes more important when controllers begin combining frequencys at airports. Both groups must continue to back each other up to ensure that misunderstandings and errors do not occur.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C560 CREW TAKES OFF WITHOUT CLRNC AFTER ACCEPTING CLRNC FOR ANOTHER ACFT WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN ON A DIFFERENT FREQ WHEN CTLR IS OPERATING MULTIPLE FREQS.

Narrative: AT ABOUT XA30 AND BEFORE DAWN, WE WERE TAXIING AS CLRED TO RWY 10R AT INTXN B4 FOR TKOF. MY PARTNER WAS CTLING THE ACFT FROM THE L SEAT WHILE I PERFORMED COM AND RAN CHKLISTS FROM THE R SEAT. A SINGLE TWR CTLR WAS PERFORMING ALL ATC FUNCTIONS AND WAS XMITTING ON TWR, GND, AND CLRNC FREQS. ON GND FREQ, ABOUT 30 SECONDS BEFORE WE REACHED OUR ASSIGNED INTXN, WE HEARD 'ACFT X TURN L HDG 020 DEGS, CLRED FOR TKOF.' ON GND FREQ I REPLIED, 'ACFT X L TURN 020 DEGS CLRED FOR TKOF.' UPON REACHING THE B4 INTXN, WE STOPPED BRIEFLY WHILE I ASSUMED CTL OF THE ACFT FOR A R SEAT TKOF. AS I TAXIED INTO POS, MY PARTNER SWITCHED TO TWR FREQ AND FINISHED OUR FINAL CHKLIST. WE COMMENCED OUR TKOF ROLL ABOUT 1 MIN AFTER REPLYING TO THE CLRNC. AFTER REACHING ABOUT 1000 FT AGL, TWR TOLD US TO TURN BACK TO RWY HDG AND THAT THE CLRNC WE'D HEARD WAS FOR A DIFFERENT FLT X OFF RWY 10L. NO PROX CONFLICT WITH THE OTHER FLT X WAS OBSERVED. IN THE FUTURE, I'LL BE MORE CAREFUL TO LISTEN FOR BOTH A CALL SIGN AND RWY NUMBER. WHEN TWR CTLRS WORK ALONE, PERHAPS ALL ACTIVITY SHOULD BE COMBINED ON 1 FREQ. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 450382: PLTS AND CTLRS NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE VIGILANT AND PRECISE WITH OUR XMISSIONS TO INCLUDE FULL CALL SIGNS. THIS BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT WHEN CTLRS BEGIN COMBINING FREQS AT ARPTS. BOTH GROUPS MUST CONTINUE TO BACK EACH OTHER UP TO ENSURE THAT MISUNDERSTANDINGS AND ERRORS DO NOT OCCUR.

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.