Narrative:

Upon landing at dfw, we were cleared to taxi back to hold short of runway 17R at taxiway B. While awaiting clearance to cross, we 'heard' clearance to expedite across the runway with what we believed was our call sign. Reaching the other side of the runway, we were advised to call tower supervisor on arrival at the gate. In this call, we were told the clearance to cross was for a different company's aircraft, with the same flight number. Darkness, high volume traffic, and similar call signs contributed to the confusion. The dark of night and high volume of traffic are probably insurmountable problems. Already in place is a program for similar call signs. Say the airline name before and after the flight number. Both the other crew and mine should have been made aware of the presence of the other. Specifying the crossing point in the instructions may help define the proper recipient of a command. Certainly red and green, stop and go lights would be a definitive aid. This incident with a horrible potential for loss of life, has shaken me more than other experiences in my 36+ yrs flying experience. No relief can be too expensive or trivial.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ACCEPTED CLRNC INTENDED FOR ANOTHER ACFT, WHICH HAD THE SAME FLT NUMBER AS HIS, TO CROSS A RWY.

Narrative: UPON LNDG AT DFW, WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI BACK TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 17R AT TXWY B. WHILE AWAITING CLRNC TO CROSS, WE 'HEARD' CLRNC TO EXPEDITE ACROSS THE RWY WITH WHAT WE BELIEVED WAS OUR CALL SIGN. REACHING THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RWY, WE WERE ADVISED TO CALL TWR SUPVR ON ARR AT THE GATE. IN THIS CALL, WE WERE TOLD THE CLRNC TO CROSS WAS FOR A DIFFERENT COMPANY'S ACFT, WITH THE SAME FLT NUMBER. DARKNESS, HIGH VOLUME TFC, AND SIMILAR CALL SIGNS CONTRIBUTED TO THE CONFUSION. THE DARK OF NIGHT AND HIGH VOLUME OF TFC ARE PROBABLY INSURMOUNTABLE PROBS. ALREADY IN PLACE IS A PROGRAM FOR SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. SAY THE AIRLINE NAME BEFORE AND AFTER THE FLT NUMBER. BOTH THE OTHER CREW AND MINE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE PRESENCE OF THE OTHER. SPECIFYING THE XING POINT IN THE INSTRUCTIONS MAY HELP DEFINE THE PROPER RECIPIENT OF A COMMAND. CERTAINLY RED AND GREEN, STOP AND GO LIGHTS WOULD BE A DEFINITIVE AID. THIS INCIDENT WITH A HORRIBLE POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF LIFE, HAS SHAKEN ME MORE THAN OTHER EXPERIENCES IN MY 36+ YRS FLYING EXPERIENCE. NO RELIEF CAN BE TOO EXPENSIVE OR TRIVIAL.

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.