Narrative:

Air carrier Y MD80 was cleared for takeoff on runway 4L. Controller issued takeoff clearance to air carrier X 727 on runway 14L. Cleared air carrier Z for takeoff on runway 32L. Controller realized his error on air carrier X and canceled his takeoff. Aircraft answered immediately but transmission was broken and all that could be heard was roger xy canceling. I was monitoring the local controller as was a supervisor. The aircraft initially appeared to be taxiing to the next highspd, so the controller asked him to turn right off the runway and taxi back for departure on runway 14L. It became evident that air carrier X was not stopping. So the controller told him to stop and hold short of runway 4L. Air carrier X then stated, 'roger, we're aborting.' the controller asked why he didn't hear the initial cancel takeoff clearance, and the pilot reported somebody else answered for us. The pilot that rogered the cancel takeoff clearance was air carrier Z departing on runway 32L. Supplemental information from acn 280346: air carrier X cleared for takeoff on runway 14L. Tower made a call to cancel takeoff clearance. We thought the call was for us but another flight acknowledged the call so we continued. About 5-7 seconds later, tower called us and asked us if we were aborting. We did so at that time. Another flight was taking off on the crossing runway at the same time right to left. I do not believe any FARS were broken and tower had no further comments to us. It was, however, an unsafe situation. Supplemental information from acn 280580: cleared for takeoff our flight, air carrier X, began our roll and started the power up. The tower made a transmission that was unclr for some aircraft to cancel the takeoff clearance. It was immediately acknowledged by some other aircraft. We continued and were asked by the tower a few seconds later if we were aborting, which we immediately did without incident. Lack of clarity, like call signs, and 3 runways being used for takeoff caused this confusion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MULTIPLE RWY OP INTERSECTING RWYS ACR X HAD LTSS FROM ACR Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: ACR Y MD80 WAS CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 4L. CTLR ISSUED TKOF CLRNC TO ACR X 727 ON RWY 14L. CLRED ACR Z FOR TKOF ON RWY 32L. CTLR REALIZED HIS ERROR ON ACR X AND CANCELED HIS TKOF. ACFT ANSWERED IMMEDIATELY BUT XMISSION WAS BROKEN AND ALL THAT COULD BE HEARD WAS ROGER XY CANCELING. I WAS MONITORING THE LCL CTLR AS WAS A SUPVR. THE ACFT INITIALLY APPEARED TO BE TAXIING TO THE NEXT HIGHSPD, SO THE CTLR ASKED HIM TO TURN R OFF THE RWY AND TAXI BACK FOR DEP ON RWY 14L. IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT ACR X WAS NOT STOPPING. SO THE CTLR TOLD HIM TO STOP AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 4L. ACR X THEN STATED, 'ROGER, WE'RE ABORTING.' THE CTLR ASKED WHY HE DIDN'T HEAR THE INITIAL CANCEL TKOF CLRNC, AND THE PLT RPTED SOMEBODY ELSE ANSWERED FOR US. THE PLT THAT ROGERED THE CANCEL TKOF CLRNC WAS ACR Z DEPARTING ON RWY 32L. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 280346: ACR X CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 14L. TWR MADE A CALL TO CANCEL TKOF CLRNC. WE THOUGHT THE CALL WAS FOR US BUT ANOTHER FLT ACKNOWLEDGED THE CALL SO WE CONTINUED. ABOUT 5-7 SECONDS LATER, TWR CALLED US AND ASKED US IF WE WERE ABORTING. WE DID SO AT THAT TIME. ANOTHER FLT WAS TAKING OFF ON THE XING RWY AT THE SAME TIME R TO L. I DO NOT BELIEVE ANY FARS WERE BROKEN AND TWR HAD NO FURTHER COMMENTS TO US. IT WAS, HOWEVER, AN UNSAFE SIT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 280580: CLRED FOR TKOF OUR FLT, ACR X, BEGAN OUR ROLL AND STARTED THE PWR UP. THE TWR MADE A XMISSION THAT WAS UNCLR FOR SOME ACFT TO CANCEL THE TKOF CLRNC. IT WAS IMMEDIATELY ACKNOWLEDGED BY SOME OTHER ACFT. WE CONTINUED AND WERE ASKED BY THE TWR A FEW SECONDS LATER IF WE WERE ABORTING, WHICH WE IMMEDIATELY DID WITHOUT INCIDENT. LACK OF CLARITY, LIKE CALL SIGNS, AND 3 RWYS BEING USED FOR TKOF CAUSED THIS CONFUSION.

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.