Confusion during training in progress at iah tower resulting from similar a/north flts causes controller to clear one flight for takeoff with another aircraft on final. Other aircraft made go around.

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Attributes
ACN	127671
Time
Date	198911
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : holding ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	landing : go around landing other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 25000
ASRS Report	127671
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Taxiing out for takeoff runway 32R iah. Approaching departure end of runway while on taxiway 'wb' changed from ground control to tower 118.1 and reported ready for takeoff. Told to hold short for wake turbulence departing widebody transport. We were #1 so taxied up to the hold line and stopped. We looked out the window and saw the widebody transport was already over 5 mi away. Tower then transmitted 'aircraft X turn left heading 130 cleared for immediate takeoff'. Put the power on and entered the runway for takeoff. Tower then said 'aircraft X is that you on the runway'. We replied 'yes it is'. Tower then said 'aircraft Y go around'. We then stopped on the runway after being told to hold in position. We questioned what was going on as from the voice a different controller had taken over. I know a lot of training is going on in iah so now we want clarification. A flight with a very similar call sign to ours, aircraft Z, was cleared for takeoff on runway 26. Slightly later we were told maintain runway heading, cleared for takeoff. At about 100 KTS, a different voice on tower frequency says 'aircraft X cleared for takeoff'. Apparently there was a lot of confusion in the tower. Suspect due to training in progress, a little hard on this pilot's confidence in the controllers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFUSION DURING TRAINING IN PROGRESS AT IAH TWR RESULTING FROM SIMILAR A/N FLTS CAUSES CTLR TO CLEAR ONE FLT FOR TKOF WITH ANOTHER ACFT ON FINAL. OTHER ACFT MADE GO AROUND.

Narrative: TAXIING OUT FOR TKOF RWY 32R IAH. APCHING DEP END OF RWY WHILE ON TXWY 'WB' CHANGED FROM GND CTL TO TWR 118.1 AND REPORTED READY FOR TKOF. TOLD TO HOLD SHORT FOR WAKE TURBULENCE DEPARTING WDB. WE WERE #1 SO TAXIED UP TO THE HOLD LINE AND STOPPED. WE LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND SAW THE WDB WAS ALREADY OVER 5 MI AWAY. TWR THEN XMITTED 'ACFT X TURN LEFT HDG 130 CLRED FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF'. PUT THE POWER ON AND ENTERED THE RWY FOR TKOF. TWR THEN SAID 'ACFT X IS THAT YOU ON THE RWY'. WE REPLIED 'YES IT IS'. TWR THEN SAID 'ACFT Y GO AROUND'. WE THEN STOPPED ON THE RWY AFTER BEING TOLD TO HOLD IN POSITION. WE QUESTIONED WHAT WAS GOING ON AS FROM THE VOICE A DIFFERENT CTLR HAD TAKEN OVER. I KNOW A LOT OF TRAINING IS GOING ON IN IAH SO NOW WE WANT CLARIFICATION. A FLT WITH A VERY SIMILAR CALL SIGN TO OURS, ACFT Z, WAS CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 26. SLIGHTLY LATER WE WERE TOLD MAINTAIN RWY HDG, CLRED FOR TKOF. AT ABOUT 100 KTS, A DIFFERENT VOICE ON TWR FREQ SAYS 'ACFT X CLRED FOR TKOF'. APPARENTLY THERE WAS A LOT OF CONFUSION IN THE TWR. SUSPECT DUE TO TRAINING IN PROGRESS, A LITTLE HARD ON THIS PLT'S CONFIDENCE IN THE CTLRS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.