Narrative:

Received takeoff clearance that, at the time, thought was for xyz. Readback was made by me, 'cleared for takeoff xyz.' no reply from ATC. Captain initiated takeoff roll after I had completed the line up check. Approximately 2-4 seconds after making the 100 KTS call, tower instructed us to abort takeoff roll. We complied and exited the runway and taxied to remote parking to contact maintenance for high energy abort inspection. Subsequently, taxied to gate X to meet maintenance. Captain received instruction to call tower. He did. Tower informed him that an xyz was on runway 27 at the same time we were on runway 18R and that it was the xyz that had been cleared for takeoff not us. The xyz aircraft call sign was XXX (similar to us). Contributing factors: we were expecting to hear a takeoff clearance and possibly mistook a similar call sign for our own. ATC not catching that the wrong aircraft read back clearance. ATC positioning 2 aircraft with similar call signs on crossing runways both ready to take off (without advising of similar call sign). Me for not realizing that it was another aircraft with similar call sign, bad timing and miscom on both sides of frequency. Ways to resolve: be careful to listen on frequency for similar call signs. Query ATC if not 100% sure -- don't assume or anticipate. Don't position 2 similar call signs for potential collision course (crossing runways). ATC advise if similar call sign is on frequency. Listen more carefully (all parties). Supplemental information from acn 628437: we heard the tower say, 'cleared for takeoff xyz.' the first officer read back the takeoff clearance, finished the bottom of the checklist and I initiated the takeoff with the thrust levers. I also remember that tower was asking a question directed at another aircraft at that time and I thought it odd but was focused more on the takeoff at that point and did not have time to consider this further. During the abort procedure we saw an xyz aircraft taking off on runway 27 about 2000-3000 ft from our position.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CARJ DEP FROM CVG IS ISSUED ATC ABORT BECAUSE OF CONFLICTING DEP TFC FROM INTERSECTING RWY.

Narrative: RECEIVED TKOF CLRNC THAT, AT THE TIME, THOUGHT WAS FOR XYZ. READBACK WAS MADE BY ME, 'CLRED FOR TKOF XYZ.' NO REPLY FROM ATC. CAPT INITIATED TKOF ROLL AFTER I HAD COMPLETED THE LINE UP CHK. APPROX 2-4 SECONDS AFTER MAKING THE 100 KTS CALL, TWR INSTRUCTED US TO ABORT TKOF ROLL. WE COMPLIED AND EXITED THE RWY AND TAXIED TO REMOTE PARKING TO CONTACT MAINT FOR HIGH ENERGY ABORT INSPECTION. SUBSEQUENTLY, TAXIED TO GATE X TO MEET MAINT. CAPT RECEIVED INSTRUCTION TO CALL TWR. HE DID. TWR INFORMED HIM THAT AN XYZ WAS ON RWY 27 AT THE SAME TIME WE WERE ON RWY 18R AND THAT IT WAS THE XYZ THAT HAD BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF NOT US. THE XYZ ACFT CALL SIGN WAS XXX (SIMILAR TO US). CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: WE WERE EXPECTING TO HEAR A TKOF CLRNC AND POSSIBLY MISTOOK A SIMILAR CALL SIGN FOR OUR OWN. ATC NOT CATCHING THAT THE WRONG ACFT READ BACK CLRNC. ATC POSITIONING 2 ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS ON XING RWYS BOTH READY TO TAKE OFF (WITHOUT ADVISING OF SIMILAR CALL SIGN). ME FOR NOT REALIZING THAT IT WAS ANOTHER ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGN, BAD TIMING AND MISCOM ON BOTH SIDES OF FREQ. WAYS TO RESOLVE: BE CAREFUL TO LISTEN ON FREQ FOR SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. QUERY ATC IF NOT 100% SURE -- DON'T ASSUME OR ANTICIPATE. DON'T POS 2 SIMILAR CALL SIGNS FOR POTENTIAL COLLISION COURSE (XING RWYS). ATC ADVISE IF SIMILAR CALL SIGN IS ON FREQ. LISTEN MORE CAREFULLY (ALL PARTIES). SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 628437: WE HEARD THE TWR SAY, 'CLRED FOR TKOF XYZ.' THE FO READ BACK THE TKOF CLRNC, FINISHED THE BOTTOM OF THE CHKLIST AND I INITIATED THE TKOF WITH THE THRUST LEVERS. I ALSO REMEMBER THAT TWR WAS ASKING A QUESTION DIRECTED AT ANOTHER ACFT AT THAT TIME AND I THOUGHT IT ODD BUT WAS FOCUSED MORE ON THE TKOF AT THAT POINT AND DID NOT HAVE TIME TO CONSIDER THIS FURTHER. DURING THE ABORT PROC WE SAW AN XYZ ACFT TAKING OFF ON RWY 27 ABOUT 2000-3000 FT FROM OUR POS.

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.