Medium Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Time Pressure; Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Rejected Takeoff; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Procedure; Company Policy
Miscommunication between Air Traffic Control and flight crew caused takeoff roll to be aborted at DEN. As directed by Ramp Controller; I contacted DEN Tower Control at the taxiway. (Controller was working both Tower and Ground.) Tower Control directed us 'Taxi straight ahead onto Runway 17R; turn left heading 155 degrees; cleared for takeoff Runway 17R.' I repeated instructions. We completed the Before Takeoff Checklist before taking the runway. After normal calls confirming runway heading; Captain flying initiated takeoff roll. The Captain called 'Set Thrust.' As I responded; 'Thrust Set;' I heard 'ACR X; Abort.' I responded; 'ACR X Aborting.' Captain initiated abort on my call at a speed approximately 40 KTS. Tower Controller asked if we needed any assistance. I responded 'negative.' Both the Captain and Tower Control asked the reason for abort; I responded to Tower; 'You called it.' He said; 'I was talking to another aircraft.' We taxied off the runway. After waiting 15 minutes for brake cooling and little to no change on BTMS; we proceeded to takeoff normally. We discussed this event in the cockpit during the 15 minute wait to takeoff. I obviously misheard the Controller but the decision to abort was 'better safe than sorry.' Similar sounding call signs between company aircraft; especially when they end in same letter of alphabet. ATC [was] working both Ground and Tower Control simultaneously. ATC must use caution when working similar sounding call signs.I suggest change alphanumeric call signs to include either two or no letters.
During takeoff from DEN; Tower issued an Abort command to which an incorrect aircraft also responded because of similar sounding call signs.