Narrative:

Taxiing for departure to runway 15 from FBO aviation at dca the ground controller asked if we could use runway 18 at 'H' intersection -- 3500 ft remaining. We said we could do that. We were then instructed to taxi to runway 18 at 'hotel' and hold short. Tower then instructed an medium large transport into position runway 18 and hold. The tower controller then instructed us to taxi into position runway '15' and hold. My copilot read back the clearance to the tower and reconfirmed runway 15. The copilot and I looked at each other and reconfirmed that the controller said runway 15. (Runway '15' is adjacent to runway 18 at this location). Upon reaching '15' we noticed there was only 1000 ft of runway remaining. At the same time the tower controller asked us where we are going. Our response was you cleared us to runway '15'. His response was 'unbelievable -- continue taxi to runway 21 hold short in the block.' at this point another controller came on and cleared us for takeoff runway '21.' upon returning to our home base 35 mins later, I immediately called dca tower to find out where the mistake was made. I was routed through several people and eventually put on hold. Finally someone came on the line and said 'there is nobody up there, call back next week.' I called again on xx and was informed I needed to talk to quality assurance however he is out of the office. He will be returning momentarily and will return your call within the hour. As of this report I have been unable to talk to anybody at dca tower about this incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT RECEIVED A FAULTY AND CONFUSING TAXI CLRNC FROM ONE CTLR, ANOTHER CTLR CORRECTED THE CLRNC. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO TALK TO A SUPVR.

Narrative: TAXIING FOR DEP TO RWY 15 FROM FBO AVIATION AT DCA THE GND CTLR ASKED IF WE COULD USE RWY 18 AT 'H' INTXN -- 3500 FT REMAINING. WE SAID WE COULD DO THAT. WE WERE THEN INSTRUCTED TO TAXI TO RWY 18 AT 'HOTEL' AND HOLD SHORT. TWR THEN INSTRUCTED AN MLG INTO POS RWY 18 AND HOLD. THE TWR CTLR THEN INSTRUCTED US TO TAXI INTO POS RWY '15' AND HOLD. MY COPLT READ BACK THE CLRNC TO THE TWR AND RECONFIRMED RWY 15. THE COPLT AND I LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND RECONFIRMED THAT THE CTLR SAID RWY 15. (RWY '15' IS ADJACENT TO RWY 18 AT THIS LOCATION). UPON REACHING '15' WE NOTICED THERE WAS ONLY 1000 FT OF RWY REMAINING. AT THE SAME TIME THE TWR CTLR ASKED US WHERE WE ARE GOING. OUR RESPONSE WAS YOU CLRED US TO RWY '15'. HIS RESPONSE WAS 'UNBELIEVABLE -- CONTINUE TAXI TO RWY 21 HOLD SHORT IN THE BLOCK.' AT THIS POINT ANOTHER CTLR CAME ON AND CLRED US FOR TKOF RWY '21.' UPON RETURNING TO OUR HOME BASE 35 MINS LATER, I IMMEDIATELY CALLED DCA TWR TO FIND OUT WHERE THE MISTAKE WAS MADE. I WAS ROUTED THROUGH SEVERAL PEOPLE AND EVENTUALLY PUT ON HOLD. FINALLY SOMEONE CAME ON THE LINE AND SAID 'THERE IS NOBODY UP THERE, CALL BACK NEXT WK.' I CALLED AGAIN ON XX AND WAS INFORMED I NEEDED TO TALK TO QUALITY ASSURANCE HOWEVER HE IS OUT OF THE OFFICE. HE WILL BE RETURNING MOMENTARILY AND WILL RETURN YOUR CALL WITHIN THE HR. AS OF THIS RPT I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO TALK TO ANYBODY AT DCA TWR ABOUT THIS INCIDENT.

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.