Narrative:

We, aircraft X, were holding short of runway 2 on taxiway U at ric airport, richmond va. While holding short, the tower instructed a different aircraft, similar call sign, to cross runway 2. My first officer mistakenly responded to the other aircraft's instruction to cross runway 2. We continued to hold short of runway 2, and I asked the first officer to verify the instructions since I wasn't certain that the crossing instructions were intended for our aircraft. After using our call sign, aircraft X, to verify the the runway crossing restr, the tower confirmed that we were indeed cleared to cross runway 2 at that time. After visually clearing the approach path and runway area, we proceeded to cross runway 2. After clearing runway 2, the tower then informed us that the crossing instructions were for aircraft Y and we were supposed to hold short of runway 2. After that transmission, the other aircraft Y responded to hold short of runway 2. Our flight then proceeded without incident. Supplemental information from acn 532779: we had just taxied to and was holding short of our runway. After we changed to tower frequency, we heard tower instruct aircraft X, cross runway 2 and contact ground 'on the other side.' not understanding why, we asked him to say again for aircraft X. The tower then repeated the instruction with what I perceived to be urgency and impatience in his voice. We read back the instructions, checked that the runway was clear, and crossed. As others had been departing runway 34 on the other side, I thought they had changed runways on us and wanted us to go to runway 34. However, what happened was that another aircraft Y had just landed on runway 34 and the instructions were meant for him. At this point the frequency became very confused as they read back further instructions meant for us. The call signs on the frequency were now 'X and Y' and tower at several times used the call sign aircraft X. Eventually, we made a 180 degrees and departed runway 2. 2 things stand out as primary causes of this incident: 1) similar call signs that lead to confusion and transposition of numbers. 2) no positive handoff from ground to tower at many airports and the practice of tower issuing instructions to departing aircraft before they check on.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB145 AND SAME ACR WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGN CROSSED A RWY NOT INTENDED BY THE ATCT LCL CTLR.

Narrative: WE, ACFT X, WERE HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 2 ON TXWY U AT RIC ARPT, RICHMOND VA. WHILE HOLDING SHORT, THE TWR INSTRUCTED A DIFFERENT ACFT, SIMILAR CALL SIGN, TO CROSS RWY 2. MY FO MISTAKENLY RESPONDED TO THE OTHER ACFT'S INSTRUCTION TO CROSS RWY 2. WE CONTINUED TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 2, AND I ASKED THE FO TO VERIFY THE INSTRUCTIONS SINCE I WASN'T CERTAIN THAT THE XING INSTRUCTIONS WERE INTENDED FOR OUR ACFT. AFTER USING OUR CALL SIGN, ACFT X, TO VERIFY THE THE RWY XING RESTR, THE TWR CONFIRMED THAT WE WERE INDEED CLRED TO CROSS RWY 2 AT THAT TIME. AFTER VISUALLY CLRING THE APCH PATH AND RWY AREA, WE PROCEEDED TO CROSS RWY 2. AFTER CLRING RWY 2, THE TWR THEN INFORMED US THAT THE XING INSTRUCTIONS WERE FOR ACFT Y AND WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 2. AFTER THAT XMISSION, THE OTHER ACFT Y RESPONDED TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 2. OUR FLT THEN PROCEEDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 532779: WE HAD JUST TAXIED TO AND WAS HOLDING SHORT OF OUR RWY. AFTER WE CHANGED TO TWR FREQ, WE HEARD TWR INSTRUCT ACFT X, CROSS RWY 2 AND CONTACT GND 'ON THE OTHER SIDE.' NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY, WE ASKED HIM TO SAY AGAIN FOR ACFT X. THE TWR THEN REPEATED THE INSTRUCTION WITH WHAT I PERCEIVED TO BE URGENCY AND IMPATIENCE IN HIS VOICE. WE READ BACK THE INSTRUCTIONS, CHKED THAT THE RWY WAS CLR, AND CROSSED. AS OTHERS HAD BEEN DEPARTING RWY 34 ON THE OTHER SIDE, I THOUGHT THEY HAD CHANGED RWYS ON US AND WANTED US TO GO TO RWY 34. HOWEVER, WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT ANOTHER ACFT Y HAD JUST LANDED ON RWY 34 AND THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE MEANT FOR HIM. AT THIS POINT THE FREQ BECAME VERY CONFUSED AS THEY READ BACK FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS MEANT FOR US. THE CALL SIGNS ON THE FREQ WERE NOW 'X AND Y' AND TWR AT SEVERAL TIMES USED THE CALL SIGN ACFT X. EVENTUALLY, WE MADE A 180 DEGS AND DEPARTED RWY 2. 2 THINGS STAND OUT AS PRIMARY CAUSES OF THIS INCIDENT: 1) SIMILAR CALL SIGNS THAT LEAD TO CONFUSION AND TRANSPOSITION OF NUMBERS. 2) NO POSITIVE HDOF FROM GND TO TWR AT MANY ARPTS AND THE PRACTICE OF TWR ISSUING INSTRUCTIONS TO DEPARTING ACFT BEFORE THEY CHK ON.

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.