Narrative:

Taxied on taxiway a to taxiway K at runway 7L at frankfurt (eddf). Approaching taxiway K, ground switched us to tower. At taxiway K tower said 'air carrier X ...,' and I didn't understand the rest. So I said, 'say again for air carrier X.' tower replied, 'air carrier X cross runway 7L and switch to 121.95.' we saw an aircraft on short final but we thought okay we could still safely cross. I've seen closer crosses at other airports (atl, dfw, etc). He was about 3/4 to 1 mi out. As we approached the hold short line tower said, 'air carrier X hurry across runway 7L.' I turned to the captain and said, 'you better start beating the horses,' because he was a little slow on the power. He replied, 'yeah okay we can make it.' as our nose entered the runway, tower yelled,' air carrier X hold short.' I thought 'well he changed his mind.' but by now we were in the runway and going fast. So I said, 'it's too late now.' I was surprised he had changed his mind but he said, 'yeah, okay.' after we crossed we asked tower if we should hold short of runway 7R, to which he replied, 'yes, at least hold short of this runway.' he then explained that the clearance to cross had been for air carrier Y crossing runway 7L at taxiway B at the extended centerline at the end of runway 7L. It also turns out that 121.95 is apron control (where air carrier Y was going). The captain and I are both sure tower said air carrier X both times. However, we were rushing to make a slot time. This was also day 9 of a 9 day trip and we were tired. Additionally, the tempo of operations at frankfurt has increased since the war started and at times tower seems a little overwhelmed. I have also heard fra ground and tower mix up air carrier call signs before. This day we did not catch it due to our lowered situational awareness and fatigue. Of course tower seemed just as sure he said air carrier Y and never cleared us to cross. After an incident like this I would never swear that I was 100% in the right.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POSSIBLE CALL SIGN MIX-UP BY GND CTLR AT EDDF ARPT MAY HAVE CAUSED AN ACR TO CROSS A RWY WITH TFC ON SHORT FINAL.

Narrative: TAXIED ON TXWY A TO TXWY K AT RWY 7L AT FRANKFURT (EDDF). APCHING TXWY K, GND SWITCHED US TO TWR. AT TXWY K TWR SAID 'ACR X ...,' AND I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE REST. SO I SAID, 'SAY AGAIN FOR ACR X.' TWR REPLIED, 'ACR X CROSS RWY 7L AND SWITCH TO 121.95.' WE SAW AN ACFT ON SHORT FINAL BUT WE THOUGHT OKAY WE COULD STILL SAFELY CROSS. I'VE SEEN CLOSER CROSSES AT OTHER ARPTS (ATL, DFW, ETC). HE WAS ABOUT 3/4 TO 1 MI OUT. AS WE APCHED THE HOLD SHORT LINE TWR SAID, 'ACR X HURRY ACROSS RWY 7L.' I TURNED TO THE CAPT AND SAID, 'YOU BETTER START BEATING THE HORSES,' BECAUSE HE WAS A LITTLE SLOW ON THE PWR. HE REPLIED, 'YEAH OKAY WE CAN MAKE IT.' AS OUR NOSE ENTERED THE RWY, TWR YELLED,' ACR X HOLD SHORT.' I THOUGHT 'WELL HE CHANGED HIS MIND.' BUT BY NOW WE WERE IN THE RWY AND GOING FAST. SO I SAID, 'IT'S TOO LATE NOW.' I WAS SURPRISED HE HAD CHANGED HIS MIND BUT HE SAID, 'YEAH, OKAY.' AFTER WE CROSSED WE ASKED TWR IF WE SHOULD HOLD SHORT OF RWY 7R, TO WHICH HE REPLIED, 'YES, AT LEAST HOLD SHORT OF THIS RWY.' HE THEN EXPLAINED THAT THE CLRNC TO CROSS HAD BEEN FOR ACR Y XING RWY 7L AT TXWY B AT THE EXTENDED CTRLINE AT THE END OF RWY 7L. IT ALSO TURNS OUT THAT 121.95 IS APRON CTL (WHERE ACR Y WAS GOING). THE CAPT AND I ARE BOTH SURE TWR SAID ACR X BOTH TIMES. HOWEVER, WE WERE RUSHING TO MAKE A SLOT TIME. THIS WAS ALSO DAY 9 OF A 9 DAY TRIP AND WE WERE TIRED. ADDITIONALLY, THE TEMPO OF OPS AT FRANKFURT HAS INCREASED SINCE THE WAR STARTED AND AT TIMES TWR SEEMS A LITTLE OVERWHELMED. I HAVE ALSO HEARD FRA GND AND TWR MIX UP ACR CALL SIGNS BEFORE. THIS DAY WE DID NOT CATCH IT DUE TO OUR LOWERED SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND FATIGUE. OF COURSE TWR SEEMED JUST AS SURE HE SAID ACR Y AND NEVER CLRED US TO CROSS. AFTER AN INCIDENT LIKE THIS I WOULD NEVER SWEAR THAT I WAS 100% IN THE RIGHT.

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.