Narrative:

At hold line for runway 27, san tower cleared us to 'position and hold, be ready for immediate takeoff.' san tower cleared us for takeoff with traffic on 2 mi final. During takeoff roll, tower issued a cancel takeoff clearance while we were at 120 KTS. Predep brief includes a statement that we will only abort above 80 KTS for an engine fire/failure or aircraft is not going to fly. We continued the takeoff and tower said he had issued 'cancel takeoff clearance' twice during takeoff roll. The takeoff roll we had heard a cancel takeoff clearance but without a flight number, and with no break in radio transmission, also issuing instructions to other aircraft. I believe the tower controller had aircraft spaced too close together. After clearing us for takeoff and clearing another to land but realizing we wouldn't be off in time for the aircraft to land, he issued them a go around and then canceled our takeoff clearance. Our not hearing the first 'cancel takeoff clearance' was due to (during an extremely high workload time frame) the tower controller talking rapid-fire and issuing instructions to 3 different aircraft -- all at the same time without getting confirmation on the first instruction. But what caused this situation in the first place is trying to fit too many aircraft into the airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SAN ATCT LCL CTLR MISJUDGED ARR DEP SEPARATION AND UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED TO ABORT A DEPARTING B737 AT 120 KTS.

Narrative: AT HOLD LINE FOR RWY 27, SAN TWR CLRED US TO 'POS AND HOLD, BE READY FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF.' SAN TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF WITH TFC ON 2 MI FINAL. DURING TKOF ROLL, TWR ISSUED A CANCEL TKOF CLRNC WHILE WE WERE AT 120 KTS. PREDEP BRIEF INCLUDES A STATEMENT THAT WE WILL ONLY ABORT ABOVE 80 KTS FOR AN ENG FIRE/FAILURE OR ACFT IS NOT GOING TO FLY. WE CONTINUED THE TKOF AND TWR SAID HE HAD ISSUED 'CANCEL TKOF CLRNC' TWICE DURING TKOF ROLL. THE TKOF ROLL WE HAD HEARD A CANCEL TKOF CLRNC BUT WITHOUT A FLT NUMBER, AND WITH NO BREAK IN RADIO XMISSION, ALSO ISSUING INSTRUCTIONS TO OTHER ACFT. I BELIEVE THE TWR CTLR HAD ACFT SPACED TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. AFTER CLRING US FOR TKOF AND CLRING ANOTHER TO LAND BUT REALIZING WE WOULDN'T BE OFF IN TIME FOR THE ACFT TO LAND, HE ISSUED THEM A GAR AND THEN CANCELED OUR TKOF CLRNC. OUR NOT HEARING THE FIRST 'CANCEL TKOF CLRNC' WAS DUE TO (DURING AN EXTREMELY HIGH WORKLOAD TIME FRAME) THE TWR CTLR TALKING RAPID-FIRE AND ISSUING INSTRUCTIONS TO 3 DIFFERENT ACFT -- ALL AT THE SAME TIME WITHOUT GETTING CONFIRMATION ON THE FIRST INSTRUCTION. BUT WHAT CAUSED THIS SIT IN THE FIRST PLACE IS TRYING TO FIT TOO MANY ACFT INTO THE AIRSPACE.

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.