Narrative:

Requested taxi clearance and was cleared to taxi to 36R hold short of J on parallel taxiway. Prior to reaching J, a light single engine aircraft taxied west to east on J and ground cleared us to cross runway 9/27 and contact tower. Immediately after call to tower, we were cleared 'on to hold runway 36R.' first officer read back 'on to hold 36R' and left frequency to brief passenger for departure (1 min). On first officer return to intercom, captain called for line-up check and initiated items normally held until final takeoff clearance received. Takeoff roll initiated. Tower issued advisory call 'XXX, expect another 15-20 seconds.' realizing takeoff clearance was in question, we aborted and exited runway at ll, contacted tower and gave position and stated we believed we had been given clearance for takeoff. Controller denied issuing clearance and said tapes would be checked. In retrospect, we did not now believe clearance for takeoff had been issued. Captain (PF) misunderstood original takeoff clearance and first officer assumed clearance was issued while off frequency. Factors bearing on incident: 'takeoff position and hold' clearance was issued well before normal (at least 3000 ft from takeoff position). WX was marginal -- at or near field minimums. Crew was operating on reduced rest. Third flight of 5 scheduled. Previous arrival at tpa missed approach on first attempt. Aircraft not equipped with autoplt, must be hand flown continually. No flight attendant -- first officer must complete pre-departure brief for passenger. Off frequency at key phase of flight. Human error on part of captain and first officer. Captain misinterpreted clearance and first officer assumed clearance issued. Corrective action: never assume anything! Work toward revised far on rest required and extensive 'on to hold' clrncs. Doublechk everything when tired and the WX is down.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT BEGAN TKOF WITHOUT CLRNC, REALIZED MISTAKE AND TKOF ABORTED.

Narrative: REQUESTED TAXI CLRNC AND WAS CLRED TO TAXI TO 36R HOLD SHORT OF J ON PARALLEL TXWY. PRIOR TO REACHING J, A LIGHT SINGLE ENG ACFT TAXIED W TO E ON J AND GND CLRED US TO CROSS RWY 9/27 AND CONTACT TWR. IMMEDIATELY AFTER CALL TO TWR, WE WERE CLRED 'ON TO HOLD RWY 36R.' FO READ BACK 'ON TO HOLD 36R' AND LEFT FREQ TO BRIEF PAX FOR DEP (1 MIN). ON FO RETURN TO INTERCOM, CAPT CALLED FOR LINE-UP CHK AND INITIATED ITEMS NORMALLY HELD UNTIL FINAL TKOF CLRNC RECEIVED. TKOF ROLL INITIATED. TWR ISSUED ADVISORY CALL 'XXX, EXPECT ANOTHER 15-20 SECONDS.' REALIZING TKOF CLRNC WAS IN QUESTION, WE ABORTED AND EXITED RWY AT LL, CONTACTED TWR AND GAVE POS AND STATED WE BELIEVED WE HAD BEEN GIVEN CLRNC FOR TKOF. CTLR DENIED ISSUING CLRNC AND SAID TAPES WOULD BE CHKED. IN RETROSPECT, WE DID NOT NOW BELIEVE CLRNC FOR TKOF HAD BEEN ISSUED. CAPT (PF) MISUNDERSTOOD ORIGINAL TKOF CLRNC AND FO ASSUMED CLRNC WAS ISSUED WHILE OFF FREQ. FACTORS BEARING ON INCIDENT: 'TKOF POS AND HOLD' CLRNC WAS ISSUED WELL BEFORE NORMAL (AT LEAST 3000 FT FROM TKOF POS). WX WAS MARGINAL -- AT OR NEAR FIELD MINIMUMS. CREW WAS OPERATING ON REDUCED REST. THIRD FLT OF 5 SCHEDULED. PREVIOUS ARR AT TPA MISSED APCH ON FIRST ATTEMPT. ACFT NOT EQUIPPED WITH AUTOPLT, MUST BE HAND FLOWN CONTINUALLY. NO FLT ATTENDANT -- FO MUST COMPLETE PRE-DEP BRIEF FOR PAX. OFF FREQ AT KEY PHASE OF FLT. HUMAN ERROR ON PART OF CAPT AND FO. CAPT MISINTERPRETED CLRNC AND FO ASSUMED CLRNC ISSUED. CORRECTIVE ACTION: NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING! WORK TOWARD REVISED FAR ON REST REQUIRED AND EXTENSIVE 'ON TO HOLD' CLRNCS. DOUBLECHK EVERYTHING WHEN TIRED AND THE WX IS DOWN.

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.