Narrative:

Taxi out to runway 35L in dfw via taxiway K and hold short at eq. Multiple aircraft waiting for departure and an air carrier Z MD80 was cleared position, then took off in front of us on eq. At this time, we were #1 at eq and another air carrier xx rj was #1 at ep, to our left. We were cleared into position and hold and first officer made the standard call of 'taxi into position and hold runway 35L, aircraft X abc.' then the controller cleared several aircraft to cross runway 35L downfield. After all aircraft cleared, the tower said 'aircraft Y, cba, cleared for takeoff.' I called for takeoff check below the line, then looking at first officer, we both agreed we wanted to verify the controller said 'cba' and to verify the controller meant to say 'abc,' but by this time, the controller was asking us if we were 'abc.' we stated yes, 'abc.' then the tower controller asked where 'cba' was. 'Cba' stated they were holding short of runway 35L at ep. This was the first time that I or first officer ever knew that a 'cba' was on the radio and had no idea that any aircraft, company Y, Z, xx, etc, might have the same numbers within their call sign. After clarification, the tower cleared us, 'abc,' for takeoff and made a comment to us when directing us to contact departure to 'listen up to call sign because there's a 'cba' behind you.' my first officer clearly stated our call sign both times when responding to tower and only after the tower said 'cba, cleared for takeoff,' did we hear any number 'cba.' at this point we were going to query the controller about 'abc, 'but the tower controller beat us to the microphone about readback of 'abc.' the controller did not catch our readback of 'abc, cba' because I believe he was busy crossing aircraft downfield or the transmission was stepped on and no one was aware of it. By the first time we heard 'cba' said, we were on the runway about to ask the tower that he meant 'abc.' again, my first officer was very clear about saying 'abc' and until the controller cleared 'cba' for takeoff I had no reason for concern.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ-200 DEP FROM DFW ENTERS RWY BASED ON CLRNC INTENDED FOR ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT.

Narrative: TAXI OUT TO RWY 35L IN DFW VIA TXWY K AND HOLD SHORT AT EQ. MULTIPLE ACFT WAITING FOR DEP AND AN ACR Z MD80 WAS CLRED POS, THEN TOOK OFF IN FRONT OF US ON EQ. AT THIS TIME, WE WERE #1 AT EQ AND ANOTHER ACR XX RJ WAS #1 AT EP, TO OUR L. WE WERE CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD AND FO MADE THE STANDARD CALL OF 'TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD RWY 35L, ACFT X ABC.' THEN THE CTLR CLRED SEVERAL ACFT TO CROSS RWY 35L DOWNFIELD. AFTER ALL ACFT CLRED, THE TWR SAID 'ACFT Y, CBA, CLRED FOR TKOF.' I CALLED FOR TKOF CHK BELOW THE LINE, THEN LOOKING AT FO, WE BOTH AGREED WE WANTED TO VERIFY THE CTLR SAID 'CBA' AND TO VERIFY THE CTLR MEANT TO SAY 'ABC,' BUT BY THIS TIME, THE CTLR WAS ASKING US IF WE WERE 'ABC.' WE STATED YES, 'ABC.' THEN THE TWR CTLR ASKED WHERE 'CBA' WAS. 'CBA' STATED THEY WERE HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 35L AT EP. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I OR FO EVER KNEW THAT A 'CBA' WAS ON THE RADIO AND HAD NO IDEA THAT ANY ACFT, COMPANY Y, Z, XX, ETC, MIGHT HAVE THE SAME NUMBERS WITHIN THEIR CALL SIGN. AFTER CLARIFICATION, THE TWR CLRED US, 'ABC,' FOR TKOF AND MADE A COMMENT TO US WHEN DIRECTING US TO CONTACT DEP TO 'LISTEN UP TO CALL SIGN BECAUSE THERE'S A 'CBA' BEHIND YOU.' MY FO CLRLY STATED OUR CALL SIGN BOTH TIMES WHEN RESPONDING TO TWR AND ONLY AFTER THE TWR SAID 'CBA, CLRED FOR TKOF,' DID WE HEAR ANY NUMBER 'CBA.' AT THIS POINT WE WERE GOING TO QUERY THE CTLR ABOUT 'ABC, 'BUT THE TWR CTLR BEAT US TO THE MIKE ABOUT READBACK OF 'ABC.' THE CTLR DID NOT CATCH OUR READBACK OF 'ABC, CBA' BECAUSE I BELIEVE HE WAS BUSY XING ACFT DOWNFIELD OR THE XMISSION WAS STEPPED ON AND NO ONE WAS AWARE OF IT. BY THE FIRST TIME WE HEARD 'CBA' SAID, WE WERE ON THE RWY ABOUT TO ASK THE TWR THAT HE MEANT 'ABC.' AGAIN, MY FO WAS VERY CLR ABOUT SAYING 'ABC' AND UNTIL THE CTLR CLRED 'CBA' FOR TKOF I HAD NO REASON FOR CONCERN.

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.