Narrative:

At approximately XX00Z, we prepared to depart on an IFR flight plan. Due to strong northwest surface winds, we were offered the use of runway 30, while larger planes were using intersecting runway 5. My wife, a 'lapsed' former IFR-rated pilot (circa 1000 hours), was working the radios for us, as she and I had done alternately during many previous flts together. I thought I had heard the tower controller say 'cleared for release runway 30,' when he had actually said (as he explained later) that I was to 'take runway 30 and hold for release.' as I started the takeoff, the controller correctly ordered me to stop 'immediately,' which I was able to do before getting to the intersection with runway 5. At that time, I was able to see over the trees and saw a twin engine plane on approach to landing on runway 5. The tower controller ordered me to do a 180 degree turn to go back to the beginning of our runway 30. After another 180 degree turn (and the other plane had landed), he released us for takeoff on MMU4 departure, runway 30. I was truly in anguish at having caused the 'close call' which would have been a catastrophe for the other plane's occupants as well as ourselves. As we lifted off, I apologized to the quick-thinking controller, who saved all of us. We all read about misunderstood instructions which lead to catastrophes and think it can't happen to us. Obviously, it can and almost did, and my wife and I are thankful for the controller's quick reactions. My wife's injuries from a fall 2 days before, multiple xrays and airplane boarding difficulties, contributed to our perception problems in radio communications.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A MOONEY 201 IS CLRED TO RWY TO HOLD FOR RELEASE. HE BEGINS TKOF ROLL AND TWR TELLS HIM STOP IMMEDIATELY. THERE IS ANOTHER ACFT ON APCH FOR INTERSECTING RWY.

Narrative: AT APPROX XX00Z, WE PREPARED TO DEPART ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. DUE TO STRONG NW SURFACE WINDS, WE WERE OFFERED THE USE OF RWY 30, WHILE LARGER PLANES WERE USING INTERSECTING RWY 5. MY WIFE, A 'LAPSED' FORMER IFR-RATED PLT (CIRCA 1000 HRS), WAS WORKING THE RADIOS FOR US, AS SHE AND I HAD DONE ALTERNATELY DURING MANY PREVIOUS FLTS TOGETHER. I THOUGHT I HAD HEARD THE TWR CTLR SAY 'CLRED FOR RELEASE RWY 30,' WHEN HE HAD ACTUALLY SAID (AS HE EXPLAINED LATER) THAT I WAS TO 'TAKE RWY 30 AND HOLD FOR RELEASE.' AS I STARTED THE TKOF, THE CTLR CORRECTLY ORDERED ME TO STOP 'IMMEDIATELY,' WHICH I WAS ABLE TO DO BEFORE GETTING TO THE INTXN WITH RWY 5. AT THAT TIME, I WAS ABLE TO SEE OVER THE TREES AND SAW A TWIN ENG PLANE ON APCH TO LNDG ON RWY 5. THE TWR CTLR ORDERED ME TO DO A 180 DEG TURN TO GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF OUR RWY 30. AFTER ANOTHER 180 DEG TURN (AND THE OTHER PLANE HAD LANDED), HE RELEASED US FOR TKOF ON MMU4 DEP, RWY 30. I WAS TRULY IN ANGUISH AT HAVING CAUSED THE 'CLOSE CALL' WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN A CATASTROPHE FOR THE OTHER PLANE'S OCCUPANTS AS WELL AS OURSELVES. AS WE LIFTED OFF, I APOLOGIZED TO THE QUICK-THINKING CTLR, WHO SAVED ALL OF US. WE ALL READ ABOUT MISUNDERSTOOD INSTRUCTIONS WHICH LEAD TO CATASTROPHES AND THINK IT CAN'T HAPPEN TO US. OBVIOUSLY, IT CAN AND ALMOST DID, AND MY WIFE AND I ARE THANKFUL FOR THE CTLR'S QUICK REACTIONS. MY WIFE'S INJURIES FROM A FALL 2 DAYS BEFORE, MULTIPLE XRAYS AND AIRPLANE BOARDING DIFFICULTIES, CONTRIBUTED TO OUR PERCEPTION PROBS IN RADIO COMS.

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.