An air carrier crew reported how a call sign similarity hear and read back error caused them to ente...

Narrative:

We were told to taxi cross 12L and 17 and hold short 12R at hobby. There was traffic on final about 5 miles out and both the captain and I thought we heard our company # fly heading 220 cleared for takeoff. I responded heading 220 runway 12R cleared for takeoff company #. The captain started moving forward and we had a quick conversation about the heading of 220 and that it seemed strange for our runway so I called to confirm the heading. Tower said that clearance was for a similar company call sign and he asked if we crossed the hold short line. The captain responded yes and told the tower we could continue on to 12R and make an immediate turn onto 17 and come back to the hold short line to 12R. The controller said this would be fine and we complied. To sum up what happened; we both believed the controller was trying to get us out before the traffic on final and we were anticipating an immediate departure. With the call signs so close and the timing of the call; we thought we heard our flight number.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An air carrier crew reported how a call sign similarity hear and read back error caused them to enter an active runway after a Company aircraft had been cleared for takeoff.

Narrative: We were told to taxi cross 12L and 17 and hold short 12R at Hobby. There was traffic on final about 5 miles out and both the Captain and I thought we heard our Company # fly heading 220 cleared for takeoff. I responded heading 220 Runway 12R cleared for takeoff Company #. The Captain started moving forward and we had a quick conversation about the heading of 220 and that it seemed strange for our runway so I called to confirm the heading. Tower said that clearance was for a similar Company call sign and he asked if we crossed the hold short line. The Captain responded yes and told the Tower we could continue on to 12R and make an immediate turn onto 17 and come back to the hold short line to 12R. The Controller said this would be fine and we complied. To sum up what happened; we both believed the Controller was trying to get us out before the traffic on final and we were anticipating an immediate departure. With the call signs so close and the timing of the call; we thought we heard our flight number.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	835922
Time
Date	200905
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	HOU.Airport
State Reference	TX
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport Low Wing 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	First Officer
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 199 Flight Crew Type 5000
Person 2
Function	Captain
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 243
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural FAR Deviation - Procedural Clearance Ground Incursion Runway

An air carrier crew reported how a call sign similarity hear and read back error caused them to enter an active runway after a company aircraft had been cleared for takeoff.