Narrative:

Taxied as instructed to runway 4L, holding short of runway. Reported 'ready, runway 4L.' some moments later, tower called us as I expected. I read back exactly as I heard, 'aircraft X, taxi into position, runway 4L and hold.' I paused and there was no response, so I taxied onto runway 4L at 'taxiway west.' after sitting for several moments, the tower again came on and said, 'aircraft X, cleared to go runway 4L, with right turn to 090 degree heading.' I read back instructions but stressed that it was my flight number. Tower then said, 'hold up.' I asked if they wanted me to clear the runway. Tower responded, 'no, but that it was supposed to be bonanza abbkb, on the runway, not king air abbkb.' I was then cleared to depart, and then admonished by tower to 'listen up' in the future. At no time did the tower advise that there were similar sounding call signs at the same runway, nor did he preface the calls with 'bonanza,' or 'king air' to help differentiate. Also the controller was talking fast and the transmission was slightly 'scratchy.' as he made the calls I expected, and I read back, slowly and clearly, and got no other response, I followed what I heard the instructions said to do.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY INCURSION BY A BE90 PLT WHEN ANSWERING TO THE WRONG CALL SIGN AT ORD, IL.

Narrative: TAXIED AS INSTRUCTED TO RWY 4L, HOLDING SHORT OF RWY. RPTED 'READY, RWY 4L.' SOME MOMENTS LATER, TWR CALLED US AS I EXPECTED. I READ BACK EXACTLY AS I HEARD, 'ACFT X, TAXI INTO POS, RWY 4L AND HOLD.' I PAUSED AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE, SO I TAXIED ONTO RWY 4L AT 'TXWY W.' AFTER SITTING FOR SEVERAL MOMENTS, THE TWR AGAIN CAME ON AND SAID, 'ACFT X, CLRED TO GO RWY 4L, WITH R TURN TO 090 DEG HDG.' I READ BACK INSTRUCTIONS BUT STRESSED THAT IT WAS MY FLT NUMBER. TWR THEN SAID, 'HOLD UP.' I ASKED IF THEY WANTED ME TO CLR THE RWY. TWR RESPONDED, 'NO, BUT THAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BONANZA ABBKB, ON THE RWY, NOT KING AIR ABBKB.' I WAS THEN CLRED TO DEPART, AND THEN ADMONISHED BY TWR TO 'LISTEN UP' IN THE FUTURE. AT NO TIME DID THE TWR ADVISE THAT THERE WERE SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS AT THE SAME RWY, NOR DID HE PREFACE THE CALLS WITH 'BONANZA,' OR 'KING AIR' TO HELP DIFFERENTIATE. ALSO THE CTLR WAS TALKING FAST AND THE XMISSION WAS SLIGHTLY 'SCRATCHY.' AS HE MADE THE CALLS I EXPECTED, AND I READ BACK, SLOWLY AND CLRLY, AND GOT NO OTHER RESPONSE, I FOLLOWED WHAT I HEARD THE INSTRUCTIONS SAID TO DO.

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.