Similar call signs cause confusion at morristown, nj.

Attributes
ACN	477186
Time
Date	200006
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mmu.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mmu.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Beechjet 400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground : position and hold
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : mmu.tower
Make Model Name	Sikorsky Helicopter Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	477186
Person 2
Affiliation	other Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Taxiing out, told cleared to runway 23 'run-up pad' ('hold short of runway 23 run-up pad'). Cautioned of helicopter with similar call sign on frequency. At run-up pad, heard and accepted takeoff position clearance. Moving up toward runway, controller said, 'nxxx, I see you moving onto runway, continue taxi into position and hold, traffic is helicopter departing other end.' we had not yet moved onto runway at this point. I still am not sure which aircraft got the initial 'taxi into position and hold' clearance, nor do I remember runway numbers being used in these transmission. I was just turning my attention from clearing the final approach course to clearing the runway (this is my head was turning right) when we received the call. I would like to think the sight of the helicopter with lights ablaze would have stopped us. Happily, I never had to find out, since we were still short of the runway. Factors: unfamiliar airport, mixed aircraft types, and helicopter's use of the runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SIMILAR CALL SIGNS CAUSE CONFUSION AT MORRISTOWN, NJ.

Narrative: TAXIING OUT, TOLD CLRED TO RWY 23 'RUN-UP PAD' ('HOLD SHORT OF RWY 23 RUN-UP PAD'). CAUTIONED OF HELI WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGN ON FREQ. AT RUN-UP PAD, HEARD AND ACCEPTED TKOF POS CLRNC. MOVING UP TOWARD RWY, CTLR SAID, 'NXXX, I SEE YOU MOVING ONTO RWY, CONTINUE TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD, TFC IS HELI DEPARTING OTHER END.' WE HAD NOT YET MOVED ONTO RWY AT THIS POINT. I STILL AM NOT SURE WHICH ACFT GOT THE INITIAL 'TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD' CLRNC, NOR DO I REMEMBER RWY NUMBERS BEING USED IN THESE XMISSION. I WAS JUST TURNING MY ATTN FROM CLRING THE FINAL APCH COURSE TO CLRING THE RWY (THIS IS MY HEAD WAS TURNING R) WHEN WE RECEIVED THE CALL. I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THE SIGHT OF THE HELI WITH LIGHTS ABLAZE WOULD HAVE STOPPED US. HAPPILY, I NEVER HAD TO FIND OUT, SINCE WE WERE STILL SHORT OF THE RWY. FACTORS: UNFAMILIAR ARPT, MIXED ACFT TYPES, AND HELI'S USE OF THE RWY.

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.