Narrative:

We were at 3500 ft MSL, about 8 1/ mi north, inbound to livermore airport (lvk). There was considerable traffic activity at lvk. The tower controller instructed us to make a right base entry to runway 25R. As we turned onto final approach, the tower cleared us for landing. We responded with cleared for landing, full stop taxi back. The tower controller did not respond, but continued talking to other aircraft. We landed on runway 25R and took the first off ramp and turned right onto the taxiway and proceeded with our taxi back to 25R. At half way along the taxiway, the tower controller asked if we were on tower frequency or ground frequency 121.6. We responded the we were still on tower frequency 118.1. The tower controller then proceeded to inform us we did not have a clearance to make a taxi back and that we should be in contact with ground control, but did not instruct us to contact ground ctrl. The verbal tone of the tower controller's voice indicated that he was very upset with us. By the end of this verbal exchange, we were at the run up area for runway 25R. We remained on tower frequency. We taxied up to the runway 25R hold line. At the same time, across the runway, a king air taxied up to the opposite side runway 25R hold line. I called the tower reporting that we were ready for takeoff. So did the king air. The tower controller was using only the last three call sign letters in communication with the aircraft in operation at lvk. The last three letters in our call sign and the call sign of the king air varied only by the difference of the middle digit. We then heard a call over the tower frequency what we believe to be our call sign to taxi into position and hold.' we responded with 'call sign, position and hold

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT ENTERED RWY WITHOUT ATC APPROVAL. POTENTIAL CALL SIGN CONFUSION.

Narrative: WE WERE AT 3500 FT MSL, ABOUT 8 1/ MI N, INBOUND TO LIVERMORE ARPT (LVK). THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE TFC ACTIVITY AT LVK. THE TWR CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO MAKE A R BASE ENTRY TO RWY 25R. AS WE TURNED ONTO FINAL APCH, THE TWR CLRED US FOR LNDG. WE RESPONDED WITH CLRED FOR LNDG, FULL STOP TAXI BACK. THE TWR CTLR DID NOT RESPOND, BUT CONTINUED TALKING TO OTHER ACFT. WE LANDED ON RWY 25R AND TOOK THE FIRST OFF RAMP AND TURNED R ONTO THE TXWY AND PROCEEDED WITH OUR TAXI BACK TO 25R. AT HALF WAY ALONG THE TXWY, THE TWR CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE ON TWR FREQ OR GND FREQ 121.6. WE RESPONDED THE WE WERE STILL ON TWR FREQ 118.1. THE TWR CTLR THEN PROCEEDED TO INFORM US WE DID NOT HAVE A CLRNC TO MAKE A TAXI BACK AND THAT WE SHOULD BE IN CONTACT WITH GND CTL, BUT DID NOT INSTRUCT US TO CONTACT GND CTRL. THE VERBAL TONE OF THE TWR CTLR'S VOICE INDICATED THAT HE WAS VERY UPSET WITH US. BY THE END OF THIS VERBAL EXCHANGE, WE WERE AT THE RUN UP AREA FOR RWY 25R. WE REMAINED ON TWR FREQ. WE TAXIED UP TO THE RWY 25R HOLD LINE. AT THE SAME TIME, ACROSS THE RWY, A KING AIR TAXIED UP TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE RWY 25R HOLD LINE. I CALLED THE TWR RPTING THAT WE WERE READY FOR TKOF. SO DID THE KING AIR. THE TWR CTLR WAS USING ONLY THE LAST THREE CALL SIGN LETTERS IN COM WITH THE ACFT IN OP AT LVK. THE LAST THREE LETTERS IN OUR CALL SIGN AND THE CALL SIGN OF THE KING AIR VARIED ONLY BY THE DIFFERENCE OF THE MIDDLE DIGIT. WE THEN HEARD A CALL OVER THE TWR FREQ WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE OUR CALL SIGN TO TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD.' WE RESPONDED WITH 'CALL SIGN, POS AND HOLD

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.