Small aircraft cleared position and hold, then later asked by tower if they had heard tower calling?

Attributes
ACN	225996
Time
Date	199211
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cno
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lax
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	ground : holding
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 41 flight time total : 1797
ASRS Report	225996
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Departing chino airport, I asked for full length of runway 21 after my preflight. I was given the directive to proceed into position and hold. I was #2 for takeoff. There was an small aircraft X midfield taking off. The small aircraft X took off and was approximately 1/2 mi while I still watched for clearance from the control tower. The control tower came on immediately asking if I had not heard him calling me. I replied that the tower gave me permission to go into position and hold. That was the only communication I had with tower. I might add that at that time there were 3 small aircraft's in midfield waiting to takeoff. One on a final and myself waiting for clearance from the tower. The tower may have gotten mixed up. If I had been given clearance to takeoff any sooner, I would have been on top of the small aircraft that took off midfield. With the number of small aircraft's taking off and landing for their safety its very important that the control tower try to keep the tail numbers in order.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA CLRED POS AND HOLD, THEN LATER ASKED BY TWR IF THEY HAD HEARD TWR CALLING?

Narrative: DEPARTING CHINO ARPT, I ASKED FOR FULL LENGTH OF RWY 21 AFTER MY PREFLT. I WAS GIVEN THE DIRECTIVE TO PROCEED INTO POS AND HOLD. I WAS #2 FOR TKOF. THERE WAS AN SMA X MIDFIELD TAKING OFF. THE SMA X TOOK OFF AND WAS APPROX 1/2 MI WHILE I STILL WATCHED FOR CLRNC FROM THE CTL TWR. THE CTL TWR CAME ON IMMEDIATELY ASKING IF I HAD NOT HEARD HIM CALLING ME. I REPLIED THAT THE TWR GAVE ME PERMISSION TO GO INTO POS AND HOLD. THAT WAS THE ONLY COM I HAD WITH TWR. I MIGHT ADD THAT AT THAT TIME THERE WERE 3 SMA'S IN MIDFIELD WAITING TO TKOF. ONE ON A FINAL AND MYSELF WAITING FOR CLRNC FROM THE TWR. THE TWR MAY HAVE GOTTEN MIXED UP. IF I HAD BEEN GIVEN CLRNC TO TKOF ANY SOONER, I WOULD HAVE BEEN ON TOP OF THE SMA THAT TOOK OFF MIDFIELD. WITH THE NUMBER OF SMA'S TAKING OFF AND LNDG FOR THEIR SAFETY ITS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE CTL TWR TRY TO KEEP THE TAIL NUMBERS IN ORDER.

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.