Narrative:

Jul/xa/98 about XA30 at dca, I was PIC of air carrier X. We were cleared onto runway 18 for an '...immediate takeoff.' (emphasis supplied by tower controller.) I maneuvered the aircraft into takeoff position while accomplishing the final takeoff checks. No traffic visible on approach to runway 18, although this is not unusual since buildings and the approach path prevent a full view. While advancing thrust, engines began to spool, the dca tower controller said, 'air carrier X, cancel takeoff clearance, taxi clear of runway 18 at the first available taxiway.' I complied, and asked 'what's this all about?' I commented (after no response informing me about this abort takeoff request), asking 'why did you clear me on in the first place?' still no comment from tower, until I was told to 'maintain radio silence!' by dca tower. I told them 'I will not!' and 'give me the controller initials.' at this time I received no situational awareness. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that while holding short of the runway he was cleared for immediate takeoff. When the engines were spooled up (B737-400), he released the brakes and just started to roll when the tower canceled takeoff clearance and instructed the pilot to turn off at the first taxiway. The pilot taxied back to the runway and was then cleared for a normal takeoff. He said that while taxiing back to the runway, he asked the controller several times why they canceled his takeoff clearance, but could not get an answer. Was told to maintain radio silence. After departing, he asked for and received the tower telephone number. At his next stop, he called the number, but no one answered the phone. As of this date, he still doesn't know why his takeoff was canceled.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR AT DCA WAS INSTRUCTED TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE TKOF. RPTR STATES THAT EVERY EFFORT WAS MADE TO COMPLY WITH THE INSTRUCTION BUT ABOUT THE TIME THE ENGS WERE SPOOLED UP, THE CTLR CANCELED THE TKOF AND ORDERED THE ACFT OFF THE RWY. WHEN THE CREW PERSISTED IN TRYING TO FIND OUT WHY THEIR TKOF WAS CANCELED, THEY WERE INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN RADIO SILENCE.

Narrative: JUL/XA/98 ABOUT XA30 AT DCA, I WAS PIC OF ACR X. WE WERE CLRED ONTO RWY 18 FOR AN '...IMMEDIATE TKOF.' (EMPHASIS SUPPLIED BY TWR CTLR.) I MANEUVERED THE ACFT INTO TKOF POS WHILE ACCOMPLISHING THE FINAL TKOF CHKS. NO TFC VISIBLE ON APCH TO RWY 18, ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT UNUSUAL SINCE BUILDINGS AND THE APCH PATH PREVENT A FULL VIEW. WHILE ADVANCING THRUST, ENGS BEGAN TO SPOOL, THE DCA TWR CTLR SAID, 'ACR X, CANCEL TKOF CLRNC, TAXI CLR OF RWY 18 AT THE FIRST AVAILABLE TXWY.' I COMPLIED, AND ASKED 'WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT?' I COMMENTED (AFTER NO RESPONSE INFORMING ME ABOUT THIS ABORT TKOF REQUEST), ASKING 'WHY DID YOU CLR ME ON IN THE FIRST PLACE?' STILL NO COMMENT FROM TWR, UNTIL I WAS TOLD TO 'MAINTAIN RADIO SILENCE!' BY DCA TWR. I TOLD THEM 'I WILL NOT!' AND 'GIVE ME THE CTLR INITIALS.' AT THIS TIME I RECEIVED NO SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT WHILE HOLDING SHORT OF THE RWY HE WAS CLRED FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF. WHEN THE ENGS WERE SPOOLED UP (B737-400), HE RELEASED THE BRAKES AND JUST STARTED TO ROLL WHEN THE TWR CANCELED TKOF CLRNC AND INSTRUCTED THE PLT TO TURN OFF AT THE FIRST TXWY. THE PLT TAXIED BACK TO THE RWY AND WAS THEN CLRED FOR A NORMAL TKOF. HE SAID THAT WHILE TAXIING BACK TO THE RWY, HE ASKED THE CTLR SEVERAL TIMES WHY THEY CANCELED HIS TKOF CLRNC, BUT COULD NOT GET AN ANSWER. WAS TOLD TO MAINTAIN RADIO SILENCE. AFTER DEPARTING, HE ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED THE TWR TELEPHONE NUMBER. AT HIS NEXT STOP, HE CALLED THE NUMBER, BUT NO ONE ANSWERED THE PHONE. AS OF THIS DATE, HE STILL DOESN'T KNOW WHY HIS TKOF WAS CANCELED.

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.