Narrative:

30 mins prior to departure from sfo, I received my departure clearance. We were to depart on runway 28R. After start, we were cleared to taxi to runway 28R via taxiway C then taxiway east. At taxiway east, we had a change of clearance to runway 1R and cleared to cross runway 28R (active landing runway), turn left on runway 28L (closed), right on runway 1L to runway 1R. Just as we arrived at the intersection on runway 28L and runway 1L we were asked if we could accept runway 1L intersection for takeoff. After confirming we had enough runway left, I advised the tower I could accept this intersection for departure. As I was doing my pre takeoff and line-up checklists, I thought I confirmed I was cleared for takeoff. Upon completion of checklists and confirming there was no traffic for runway 28R, I advanced power for takeoff. The tower called and said he had not cleared us for takeoff and I immediately aborted. On taxiing back into position, the tower stated he had cleared us into position and report when ready. As I was busy with running checklists and going over the departure, I must have misunderstood the tower. I was also a little nervous about sitting on the intersection of 2 runways, even though runway 28L was closed at the time. My only excuse for missing the clearance to hold was being distraction.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A100 KING AIR CHARTER PLT HAS CLRNC CHANGED AS HE TAXIES OUT AND IS REQUESTED TO USE AN INTXN TKOF. IN COMPLETING CHKLISTS AND REVIEWING DEP HE MISINTERPS CLRNC AND BEGINS TKOF ROLL. TWR HAS HIM ABORT.

Narrative: 30 MINS PRIOR TO DEP FROM SFO, I RECEIVED MY DEP CLRNC. WE WERE TO DEPART ON RWY 28R. AFTER START, WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 28R VIA TXWY C THEN TXWY E. AT TXWY E, WE HAD A CHANGE OF CLRNC TO RWY 1R AND CLRED TO CROSS RWY 28R (ACTIVE LNDG RWY), TURN L ON RWY 28L (CLOSED), R ON RWY 1L TO RWY 1R. JUST AS WE ARRIVED AT THE INTXN ON RWY 28L AND RWY 1L WE WERE ASKED IF WE COULD ACCEPT RWY 1L INTXN FOR TKOF. AFTER CONFIRMING WE HAD ENOUGH RWY LEFT, I ADVISED THE TWR I COULD ACCEPT THIS INTXN FOR DEP. AS I WAS DOING MY PRE TKOF AND LINE-UP CHKLISTS, I THOUGHT I CONFIRMED I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. UPON COMPLETION OF CHKLISTS AND CONFIRMING THERE WAS NO TFC FOR RWY 28R, I ADVANCED PWR FOR TKOF. THE TWR CALLED AND SAID HE HAD NOT CLRED US FOR TKOF AND I IMMEDIATELY ABORTED. ON TAXIING BACK INTO POS, THE TWR STATED HE HAD CLRED US INTO POS AND RPT WHEN READY. AS I WAS BUSY WITH RUNNING CHKLISTS AND GOING OVER THE DEP, I MUST HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD THE TWR. I WAS ALSO A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT SITTING ON THE INTXN OF 2 RWYS, EVEN THOUGH RWY 28L WAS CLOSED AT THE TIME. MY ONLY EXCUSE FOR MISSING THE CLRNC TO HOLD WAS BEING DISTR.

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.