PA-31 Navajo/Chieftan/Mojave/T1040
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors
We were IFR with 500 FT ceiling and had a number of aircraft waiting with their IFR clearance with a hold for release. A PA31 requested an IFR clearance along with a C208. I requested the clearances from Sector 3 in the order they had been requested. The PA31 followed by the C208. Based on this; the PA31 taxied out and waited for his release on the runway. Sector 3 called back with a release. I was expecting to hear the PA31 was released. The strip showed I called the PA31 off to Sector 3; shortly after this Sector 3 called to tell me they had released the C208 and not the PA31 and to make sure the C208 was still on the ground. The wrong aircraft had been released.  This release for the C208 was something I was not expecting; based on past practices. Sector 3 would point out when the order of arrivals or departures were changed. This was not done this time. From my standpoint separation had been maintained. Point out when the order of arrivals or departures are changed. Releasing the C208 before the PA31 would have slowed traffic down because the PA31 was already on the runway while the C208 was still on the ramp. Don't expect to hear something. At times I will call an aircraft off at the same time I receive a release; I need to make sure I use the aircraft call sign as a double check that we are not both hearing what we expect to hear.
FAI FSS Controller described a confused release event when the sequence was reversed and the wrong aircraft was released.