Narrative:

We were cleared for takeoff on runway 3 at dca airport (after having been cleared into position to hold). As we were approaching V1 we heard the tower issue instructions to an aircraft on runway 33 to cancel their takeoff clearance. This aircraft had previously started its takeoff run while we were departing on runway 3 which crosses runway 33. Fortunately, the aircraft on runway 33 was able to stop prior to intersecting runway 3. At this point, it would not have been possible for us to abort the takeoff had the intersecting runway traffic not stopped. In my opinion, a serious if not fatal accident was narrowly avoided. The only factor involved in avoiding the potential accident was the controller's realization that he had 2 aircraft taking off almost simultaneously on intersecting runways, and his decision to cancel takeoff clearance on the smaller traffic. In retrospect, this is a common, everyday, and typical operation (or practice if you will) at dca airport. As crew members, who are based at this airport and operate in and out of it on almost a daily basis, we are needlessly placed in potentially hazardous sits everyday. It is because we fly smaller regional aircraft, that the controllers vector us around the jets and require us to do unconventional departures and arrs, the controllers use us to wake up for their inability to sequence arrs and departures. Dca is a disaster waiting to happen.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER HAS PROB ON TKOF AS SECOND ACFT ABORTS FROM INTERSECTING RWY.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 3 AT DCA ARPT (AFTER HAVING BEEN CLRED INTO POS TO HOLD). AS WE WERE APCHING V1 WE HEARD THE TWR ISSUE INSTRUCTIONS TO AN ACFT ON RWY 33 TO CANCEL THEIR TKOF CLRNC. THIS ACFT HAD PREVIOUSLY STARTED ITS TKOF RUN WHILE WE WERE DEPARTING ON RWY 3 WHICH CROSSES RWY 33. FORTUNATELY, THE ACFT ON RWY 33 WAS ABLE TO STOP PRIOR TO INTERSECTING RWY 3. AT THIS POINT, IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE FOR US TO ABORT THE TKOF HAD THE INTERSECTING RWY TFC NOT STOPPED. IN MY OPINION, A SERIOUS IF NOT FATAL ACCIDENT WAS NARROWLY AVOIDED. THE ONLY FACTOR INVOLVED IN AVOIDING THE POTENTIAL ACCIDENT WAS THE CTLR'S REALIZATION THAT HE HAD 2 ACFT TAKING OFF ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY ON INTERSECTING RWYS, AND HIS DECISION TO CANCEL TKOF CLRNC ON THE SMALLER TFC. IN RETROSPECT, THIS IS A COMMON, EVERYDAY, AND TYPICAL OP (OR PRACTICE IF YOU WILL) AT DCA ARPT. AS CREW MEMBERS, WHO ARE BASED AT THIS ARPT AND OPERATE IN AND OUT OF IT ON ALMOST A DAILY BASIS, WE ARE NEEDLESSLY PLACED IN POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITS EVERYDAY. IT IS BECAUSE WE FLY SMALLER REGIONAL ACFT, THAT THE CTLRS VECTOR US AROUND THE JETS AND REQUIRE US TO DO UNCONVENTIONAL DEPS AND ARRS, THE CTLRS USE US TO WAKE UP FOR THEIR INABILITY TO SEQUENCE ARRS AND DEPS. DCA IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN.

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.