Narrative:

Mistaken identify of my aircraft 'experimental jet aircraft X' and a 'cessna fja.' this led to both aircraft taking the runway for intended takeoff, me from the B3 intersection, the cessna from intersection C1 at the end of runway 7R. Chronological order of events: I was cleared to taxi to runway 7R, hold short of runway 7R at intersection B3. Approaching intersection B3 and runway 7R, I noticed several light aircraft at the hold point C1 at the end of runway 7R. I switched to south tower frequency and requested an intersection takeoff at intersection B3 and runway 7R. I thought I heard the last 3 numbers of my call sign and was cleared for an 'expedited takeoff.' I rogered the call (they said they didn't hear it because I was stepped on) that I was cleared for takeoff on runway 7R and began pulling out onto the runway, which took at least 10-15 seconds. I noticed a white cessna also pulling out on runway 7R at the end (normal, as this has happened to me at dvt) and another light aircraft on base leg (the reason for the expedited call). All normal indications, nothing unusual at this point. Tower asked me 'what are you doing?' and I again responded that I was cleared for takeoff. He said 'no, you weren't' and 'exit the runway.' I asked for permission for a 180 degree turn (approved) and I quickly taxied back to intersection B3 and runway 7R. I observed the white cessna (aircraft Y) in approximately the same position I last saw it, and the aircraft on base leg went around. I was later cleared for takeoff on runway 7R, again with another light aircraft taxiing onto the runway behind me. I told the tower 'sorry about that' and was later told on downwind to call the tower after I landed. I called the tower by phone and I landed as instructed and talked with controller. Contributing factors: 1) the continued use of abbreviated call signs by ATC specialists when similar call signs are on frequency, such as 'aircraft Y' and 'aircraft Y.' additionally, at dvt, ATC specialists sometimes use only the last 3 of a call sign and also drop the prefix. 2) 2 aircraft with very similar call signs trying to take off from the same runway from different geographic locations on the airport. 3) an 'expedited takeoff' requirement merely added to the confluence of events that led to this situation. Remedy; 1) 100% compliance by ATC specialists to all paragraphs of aim/far 2002, section 4.2.4 aircraft call signs. 2) at a busy pilot training airport such as dvt, ATC specialists make an advisory call that 2 aircraft will be cleared on the same runway when only 1 aircraft is cleared for takeoff. 3) suggest that with an 'expedited takeoff' call, ATC specialists always use a full call sign, or emphasize the call sign (ie, callsign, only) or repeat the call to eliminate any confusion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY INCURSION BY AN EXPERIMENTAL ACFT WHEN LCL CTLR HAD CLRED A CESSNA TYPE INTO POS AND HOLD, RWY 7 AT PHX, AZ.

Narrative: MISTAKEN IDENT OF MY ACFT 'EXPERIMENTAL JET ACFT X' AND A 'CESSNA FJA.' THIS LED TO BOTH ACFT TAKING THE RWY FOR INTENDED TKOF, ME FROM THE B3 INTXN, THE CESSNA FROM INTXN C1 AT THE END OF RWY 7R. CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF EVENTS: I WAS CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 7R, HOLD SHORT OF RWY 7R AT INTXN B3. APCHING INTXN B3 AND RWY 7R, I NOTICED SEVERAL LIGHT ACFT AT THE HOLD POINT C1 AT THE END OF RWY 7R. I SWITCHED TO S TWR FREQ AND REQUESTED AN INTXN TKOF AT INTXN B3 AND RWY 7R. I THOUGHT I HEARD THE LAST 3 NUMBERS OF MY CALL SIGN AND WAS CLRED FOR AN 'EXPEDITED TKOF.' I ROGERED THE CALL (THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T HEAR IT BECAUSE I WAS STEPPED ON) THAT I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 7R AND BEGAN PULLING OUT ONTO THE RWY, WHICH TOOK AT LEAST 10-15 SECONDS. I NOTICED A WHITE CESSNA ALSO PULLING OUT ON RWY 7R AT THE END (NORMAL, AS THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME AT DVT) AND ANOTHER LIGHT ACFT ON BASE LEG (THE REASON FOR THE EXPEDITED CALL). ALL NORMAL INDICATIONS, NOTHING UNUSUAL AT THIS POINT. TWR ASKED ME 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING?' AND I AGAIN RESPONDED THAT I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. HE SAID 'NO, YOU WEREN'T' AND 'EXIT THE RWY.' I ASKED FOR PERMISSION FOR A 180 DEG TURN (APPROVED) AND I QUICKLY TAXIED BACK TO INTXN B3 AND RWY 7R. I OBSERVED THE WHITE CESSNA (ACFT Y) IN APPROX THE SAME POS I LAST SAW IT, AND THE ACFT ON BASE LEG WENT AROUND. I WAS LATER CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 7R, AGAIN WITH ANOTHER LIGHT ACFT TAXIING ONTO THE RWY BEHIND ME. I TOLD THE TWR 'SORRY ABOUT THAT' AND WAS LATER TOLD ON DOWNWIND TO CALL THE TWR AFTER I LANDED. I CALLED THE TWR BY PHONE AND I LANDED AS INSTRUCTED AND TALKED WITH CTLR. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) THE CONTINUED USE OF ABBREVIATED CALL SIGNS BY ATC SPECIALISTS WHEN SIMILAR CALL SIGNS ARE ON FREQ, SUCH AS 'ACFT Y' AND 'ACFT Y.' ADDITIONALLY, AT DVT, ATC SPECIALISTS SOMETIMES USE ONLY THE LAST 3 OF A CALL SIGN AND ALSO DROP THE PREFIX. 2) 2 ACFT WITH VERY SIMILAR CALL SIGNS TRYING TO TAKE OFF FROM THE SAME RWY FROM DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS ON THE ARPT. 3) AN 'EXPEDITED TKOF' REQUIREMENT MERELY ADDED TO THE CONFLUENCE OF EVENTS THAT LED TO THIS SIT. REMEDY; 1) 100% COMPLIANCE BY ATC SPECIALISTS TO ALL PARAGRAPHS OF AIM/FAR 2002, SECTION 4.2.4 ACFT CALL SIGNS. 2) AT A BUSY PLT TRAINING ARPT SUCH AS DVT, ATC SPECIALISTS MAKE AN ADVISORY CALL THAT 2 ACFT WILL BE CLRED ON THE SAME RWY WHEN ONLY 1 ACFT IS CLRED FOR TKOF. 3) SUGGEST THAT WITH AN 'EXPEDITED TKOF' CALL, ATC SPECIALISTS ALWAYS USE A FULL CALL SIGN, OR EMPHASIZE THE CALL SIGN (IE, CALLSIGN, ONLY) OR REPEAT THE CALL TO ELIMINATE ANY 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.