Narrative:

Flight abc was our flight number. A similar call sign also on frequency. We had expected departure clearance time for ewr which expired on taxi out. Given taxi to hold bay. Release time 15 mins from now. We sat 5 mins, then tower positioned us to hold short of runway 3C. After 2 or 3 departures we heard 'abc taxi into position and hold.' we complied. Then we heard 'zbc cleared for takeoff.' I had the first officer question the controller 'zbc or abc?' the answer was zbc. We stated that we were abc. 'What is your position?' we answered 'in position on runway 3C.' controller asked 'zbc where are you?' 'we are #1 short of runway 3C on taxiway M.' (that aircraft was directly across the runway from us when we were instructed to 'position and hold'.) after the tower sorted out the situation, we were taxied down the runway and back to the hold bay. We were released 7 mins later. A frequency change with ZOB revealed 'abc, no. I'm looking for zbc. Abc you need to be on 134.12.' obviously, similar sounding call signs are ongoing problem with ATC. Our situation aggravated by the fact that Z and a are similar sounding over the radio. I'm glad I caught the error when I did. I can only imagine the consequences had I gotten airborne!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 ACR FLT NUMBER IS CONFUSED WITH A DEP A320 WITH SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN. THIS CONFUSION IS CARRIED ALL THE WAY TO THE ZOB CTLR, STARTING AT DTW, MI.

Narrative: FLT ABC WAS OUR FLT NUMBER. A SIMILAR CALL SIGN ALSO ON FREQ. WE HAD EXPECTED DEP CLRNC TIME FOR EWR WHICH EXPIRED ON TAXI OUT. GIVEN TAXI TO HOLD BAY. RELEASE TIME 15 MINS FROM NOW. WE SAT 5 MINS, THEN TWR POSITIONED US TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 3C. AFTER 2 OR 3 DEPS WE HEARD 'ABC TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD.' WE COMPLIED. THEN WE HEARD 'ZBC CLRED FOR TKOF.' I HAD THE FO QUESTION THE CTLR 'ZBC OR ABC?' THE ANSWER WAS ZBC. WE STATED THAT WE WERE ABC. 'WHAT IS YOUR POS?' WE ANSWERED 'IN POS ON RWY 3C.' CTLR ASKED 'ZBC WHERE ARE YOU?' 'WE ARE #1 SHORT OF RWY 3C ON TXWY M.' (THAT ACFT WAS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE RWY FROM US WHEN WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO 'POS AND HOLD'.) AFTER THE TWR SORTED OUT THE SIT, WE WERE TAXIED DOWN THE RWY AND BACK TO THE HOLD BAY. WE WERE RELEASED 7 MINS LATER. A FREQ CHANGE WITH ZOB REVEALED 'ABC, NO. I'M LOOKING FOR ZBC. ABC YOU NEED TO BE ON 134.12.' OBVIOUSLY, SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS ARE ONGOING PROB WITH ATC. OUR SIT AGGRAVATED BY THE FACT THAT Z AND A ARE SIMILAR SOUNDING OVER THE RADIO. I'M GLAD I CAUGHT THE ERROR WHEN I DID. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE CONSEQUENCES HAD I GOTTEN AIRBORNE!

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.