Narrative:

Cleared for takeoff on runway 14L at chicago, ord. We began to roll and set power. Approximately 30 KTS we heard a transmission to cancel takeoff clearance. Unable to discern the aircraft's call sign from the transmission we hesitated advancing the power until some other aircraft immediately acknowledged the call. We then continued the takeoff roll until 90 KTS when the tower, clearly this time, asked if we were aborting the takeoff which we immediately did. Contributing factors to this situation were the use of multiple runways (3) for takeoff, similar call signs and lack of emphasis during a critical phase of flight. A system of implementing dissimilar call signs needs to be imposed along with greater emphasis to critical calls during critical phases of flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT HEARS TWR INSTRUCTIONS TO CANCEL TKOF CLRNC. ANOTHER ACFT RESPONDS. ON ROLL AGAIN CREW HEARS THEIR CALL SIGN FOR THE CANCEL CLRNC.

Narrative: CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 14L AT CHICAGO, ORD. WE BEGAN TO ROLL AND SET PWR. APPROX 30 KTS WE HEARD A XMISSION TO CANCEL TKOF CLRNC. UNABLE TO DISCERN THE ACFT'S CALL SIGN FROM THE XMISSION WE HESITATED ADVANCING THE PWR UNTIL SOME OTHER ACFT IMMEDIATELY ACKNOWLEDGED THE CALL. WE THEN CONTINUED THE TKOF ROLL UNTIL 90 KTS WHEN THE TWR, CLRLY THIS TIME, ASKED IF WE WERE ABORTING THE TKOF WHICH WE IMMEDIATELY DID. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS SIT WERE THE USE OF MULTIPLE RWYS (3) FOR TKOF, SIMILAR CALL SIGNS AND LACK OF EMPHASIS DURING A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT. A SYS OF IMPLEMENTING DISSIMILAR CALL SIGNS NEEDS TO BE IMPOSED ALONG WITH GREATER EMPHASIS TO CRITICAL CALLS DURING CRITICAL PHASES OF FLT.

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.