Similar call signs and poor communications cause possible runway incursion.

Attributes
ACN	543930
Time
Date	200204
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aus.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : aus.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : position and hold
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	543930
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	544090
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Taxiing to runway 17L prior to the hold short line tower cleared our flight for takeoff. The first officer responded that we needed 2 mins for engine warm-up. The tower then told our flight to hold short. The first officer responded to tower and we held short of runway 17L. I then told the first officer to tell tower that we were ready for takeoff. We did not need the 2 min delay for engine warm-up. I then heard the tower say 'air carrier XXX, cleared for takeoff.' the first officer responded, 'roger, air carrier XXX, cleared for takeoff.' I then think tower said, 'air carrier YYY, cancel takeoff clearance.' I stopped the aircraft. I was still on the hold short line. I then heard air carrier YYY say, 'the other aircraft thinks he has takeoff clearance. 'The tower then said, 'air carrier XXX, you are cleared for takeoff.' the other air carrier YYY aircraft's call sign was 'air carrier YYY.' tower apparently had cleared 'air carrier YYY for takeoff on runway 17L. I heard 'air carrier XXX cleared for takeoff,' and the first officer responded to this. Even after we ensured we were correctly cleared for takeoff, the tower still did not sound like he was saying 'air carrier YYY' to me until he made an effort to forcefully enunciate the word 'air carrier YYY.' it sounded to me that tower was not keying his microphone until the end of saying 'air carrier.' the problem of similar call signs remains a constant source of confusion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SIMILAR CALL SIGNS AND POOR COMS CAUSE POSSIBLE RWY INCURSION.

Narrative: TAXIING TO RWY 17L PRIOR TO THE HOLD SHORT LINE TWR CLRED OUR FLT FOR TKOF. THE FO RESPONDED THAT WE NEEDED 2 MINS FOR ENG WARM-UP. THE TWR THEN TOLD OUR FLT TO HOLD SHORT. THE FO RESPONDED TO TWR AND WE HELD SHORT OF RWY 17L. I THEN TOLD THE FO TO TELL TWR THAT WE WERE READY FOR TKOF. WE DID NOT NEED THE 2 MIN DELAY FOR ENG WARM-UP. I THEN HEARD THE TWR SAY 'ACR XXX, CLRED FOR TKOF.' THE FO RESPONDED, 'ROGER, ACR XXX, CLRED FOR TKOF.' I THEN THINK TWR SAID, 'ACR YYY, CANCEL TKOF CLRNC.' I STOPPED THE ACFT. I WAS STILL ON THE HOLD SHORT LINE. I THEN HEARD ACR YYY SAY, 'THE OTHER ACFT THINKS HE HAS TKOF CLRNC. 'THE TWR THEN SAID, 'ACR XXX, YOU ARE CLRED FOR TKOF.' THE OTHER ACR YYY ACFT'S CALL SIGN WAS 'ACR YYY.' TWR APPARENTLY HAD CLRED 'ACR YYY FOR TKOF ON RWY 17L. I HEARD 'ACR XXX CLRED FOR TKOF,' AND THE FO RESPONDED TO THIS. EVEN AFTER WE ENSURED WE WERE CORRECTLY CLRED FOR TKOF, THE TWR STILL DID NOT SOUND LIKE HE WAS SAYING 'ACR YYY' TO ME UNTIL HE MADE AN EFFORT TO FORCEFULLY ENUNCIATE THE WORD 'ACR YYY.' IT SOUNDED TO ME THAT TWR WAS NOT KEYING HIS MIKE UNTIL THE END OF SAYING 'ACR.' THE PROB OF SIMILAR CALL SIGNS REMAINS A CONSTANT SOURCE OF CONFUSION.

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.