Narrative:

Operating flight air carrier xyy, we received a takeoff clearance that, at the time, we thought was for air carrier xyy. Readback was made by me 'cleared for takeoff, air carrier xyy.' no reply from ATC. The captain began the takeoff roll after I had completed the line-up check. Approximately 2-4 seconds after making the 100 KT call, tower instructed us to abort our takeoff roll. We complied and exited the runway and taxied to remote parking in order to contact maintenance for a high energy abort inspection. Subsequently, we taxied to a gate to meet maintenance. The captain received instructions to call tower. He did. Tower informed him that an aircraft was on runway 27 at the same time we were on runway 18R and that it was the other aircraft that had been cleared for takeoff -- not us. The other aircraft's call sign was air carrier xxyy (similar to xyy, which was us). Contributing factors: we were expecting to hear a takeoff clearance and possibly mistook a similar call sign for our own. ATC did not catch that the wrong aircraft read back takeoff clearance. ATC positioning 2 aircraft with similar call signs on crossing runways, both ready for takeoff (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 the frequency. Ways to resolve: be careful to listen on the 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).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 ACR ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS IN POS AND HOLDING FOR TKOF ON INTERSECTING RWYS AT CVG BEGIN THEIR TKOF ROLL WHEN ONLY ONE WAS ISSUED A CLRNC. THE LCL CTLR ISSUED AN ABORT CLRNC TO RESOLVE THE CONFLICT.

Narrative: OPERATING FLT ACR XYY, WE RECEIVED A TKOF CLRNC THAT, AT THE TIME, WE THOUGHT WAS FOR ACR XYY. READBACK WAS MADE BY ME 'CLRED FOR TKOF, ACR XYY.' NO REPLY FROM ATC. THE CAPT BEGAN THE TKOF ROLL AFTER I HAD COMPLETED THE LINE-UP CHK. APPROX 2-4 SECONDS AFTER MAKING THE 100 KT CALL, TWR INSTRUCTED US TO ABORT OUR TKOF ROLL. WE COMPLIED AND EXITED THE RWY AND TAXIED TO REMOTE PARKING IN ORDER TO CONTACT MAINT FOR A HIGH ENERGY ABORT INSPECTION. SUBSEQUENTLY, WE TAXIED TO A GATE TO MEET MAINT. THE CAPT RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS TO CALL TWR. HE DID. TWR INFORMED HIM THAT AN ACFT WAS ON RWY 27 AT THE SAME TIME WE WERE ON RWY 18R AND THAT IT WAS THE OTHER ACFT THAT HAD BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF -- NOT US. THE OTHER ACFT'S CALL SIGN WAS ACR XXYY (SIMILAR TO XYY, WHICH WAS US). CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: WE WERE EXPECTING TO HEAR A TKOF CLRNC AND POSSIBLY MISTOOK A SIMILAR CALL SIGN FOR OUR OWN. ATC DID NOT CATCH THAT THE WRONG ACFT READ BACK TKOF CLRNC. ATC POSITIONING 2 ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS ON XING RWYS, BOTH READY FOR TKOF (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 THE FREQ. WAYS TO RESOLVE: BE CAREFUL TO LISTEN ON THE 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).

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.