Narrative:

While approaching 12L on taxiway D, tower cleared us to cross runway 12L, cleared for takeoff 12R. We should have taxied across the approach end of 17, up taxiway east, and on for takeoff 12R. Instead, we taxied on to runway 17, and applied power for takeoff. Tower immediately instructed us to abort the takeoff, we were on runway 17. We aborted about 30 KTS, taxied back for takeoff on 12R (note: we had just discussed, the previous day, another flight that had taken off, like this, at hou!). Talking to the tower on the telephone, tower said they don't usually clear aircraft for takeoff until they're on 12R, but things were not busy. When asked what I thought would help, I agreed that waiting until the aircraft was aligned with 12R before issuing takeoff clearance would certainly help, in spite of the air crew's responsibility to line up on the correct runway. Although I thought I was always careful taxiing, with the airport diagram always out for reference, in the future, when at an airport with a similar runway layout problem, I'll brief the potential problem and proposed taxi route with the first officer at the gate, prior to departure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG AT HOU STARTED TKOF ON RWY 17 WHEN CLEARED FOR RWY 12. TWR ADVISED ABORT, WHICH FLT CREW DID.

Narrative: WHILE APCHING 12L ON TXWY D, TWR CLRED US TO CROSS RWY 12L, CLRED FOR TKOF 12R. WE SHOULD HAVE TAXIED ACROSS THE APCH END OF 17, UP TXWY E, AND ON FOR TKOF 12R. INSTEAD, WE TAXIED ON TO RWY 17, AND APPLIED POWER FOR TKOF. TWR IMMEDIATELY INSTRUCTED US TO ABORT THE TKOF, WE WERE ON RWY 17. WE ABORTED ABOUT 30 KTS, TAXIED BACK FOR TKOF ON 12R (NOTE: WE HAD JUST DISCUSSED, THE PREVIOUS DAY, ANOTHER FLT THAT HAD TAKEN OFF, LIKE THIS, AT HOU!). TALKING TO THE TWR ON THE TELEPHONE, TWR SAID THEY DON'T USUALLY CLEAR ACFT FOR TKOF UNTIL THEY'RE ON 12R, BUT THINGS WERE NOT BUSY. WHEN ASKED WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD HELP, I AGREED THAT WAITING UNTIL THE ACFT WAS ALIGNED WITH 12R BEFORE ISSUING TKOF CLRNC WOULD CERTAINLY HELP, IN SPITE OF THE AIR CREW'S RESPONSIBILITY TO LINE UP ON THE CORRECT RWY. ALTHOUGH I THOUGHT I WAS ALWAYS CAREFUL TAXIING, WITH THE ARPT DIAGRAM ALWAYS OUT FOR REFERENCE, IN THE FUTURE, WHEN AT AN ARPT WITH A SIMILAR RWY LAYOUT PROBLEM, I'LL BRIEF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM AND PROPOSED TAXI ROUTE WITH THE F/O AT THE GATE, PRIOR TO DEP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.