Narrative:

We were holding short runway 18L in clt, we were cleared for takeoff. As we began the takeoff roll another aircraft on the frequency asked twice, 'is there an aircraft on runway 18L?' fearing an aircraft was crossing the runway downfield we reduced power and discontinued our takeoff. We asked tower if we were cleared for takeoff. Tower replied, 'no not now.' we observed a business jet above us executing a go around. Tower instructed us to exit the runway and taxi back to runway 18L. We complied. Holding short of runway 18L we questioned tower as to the location of the jet when we were cleared for takeoff. They replied, '2 and one half mile final, there was enough room.' we were not informed that there was traffic on final to our runway with the takeoff clearance. We were reclred for takeoff, departed and completed the flight uneventfully. Possible causes: failure of tower to inform us of traffic on short final to our runway or to say expedite or cleared, immediate takeoff. Also, failure of flight crew to spot traffic on final. Solutions: flight crew and controllers must maintain constant situation awareness when taking off at large airports where multiple runways are being used. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: discussion with reporter reveals flight crew feared another aircraft was entering the runway ahead of their aircraft and they executed a precautionary abort. They were unaware that another aircraft was on a 2 and one half mile final. This led to the pilots to assume it was from another aircraft crossing at the upwind end of the runway. Tower did not notify the crew that there was an aircraft on a final app.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC CLRED FOR TKOF WITH GA ACFT ON 2 AND ONE HALF MILE FINAL. ACR FLC ABORTS TKOF AND GA ACFT EXECUTED A GAR.

Narrative: WE WERE HOLDING SHORT RWY 18L IN CLT, WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. AS WE BEGAN THE TKOF ROLL ANOTHER ACFT ON THE FREQUENCY ASKED TWICE, 'IS THERE AN ACFT ON RWY 18L?' FEARING AN ACFT WAS CROSSING THE RWY DOWNFIELD WE REDUCED PWR AND DISCONTINUED OUR TKOF. WE ASKED TWR IF WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. TWR REPLIED, 'NO NOT NOW.' WE OBSERVED A BUSINESS JET ABOVE US EXECUTING A GAR. TWR INSTRUCTED US TO EXIT THE RWY AND TAXI BACK TO RWY 18L. WE COMPLIED. HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 18L WE QUESTIONED TWR AS TO THE LOCATION OF THE JET WHEN WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. THEY REPLIED, '2 AND ONE HALF MILE FINAL, THERE WAS ENOUGH ROOM.' WE WERE NOT INFORMED THAT THERE WAS TFC ON FINAL TO OUR RWY WITH THE TKOF CLRNC. WE WERE RECLRED FOR TKOF, DEPARTED AND COMPLETED THE FLIGHT UNEVENTFULLY. POSSIBLE CAUSES: FAILURE OF TWR TO INFORM US OF TFC ON SHORT FINAL TO OUR RWY OR TO SAY EXPEDITE OR CLRED, IMMEDIATE TKOF. ALSO, FAILURE OF FLC TO SPOT TFC ON FINAL. SOLUTIONS: FLC AND CTLRS MUST MAINTAIN CONSTANT SIT AWARENESS WHEN TAKING OFF AT LARGE ARPTS WHERE MULTIPLE RWYS ARE BEING USED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: DISCUSSION WITH RPTR REVEALS FLC FEARED ANOTHER ACFT WAS ENTERING THE RWY AHEAD OF THEIR ACFT AND THEY EXECUTED A PRECAUTIONARY ABORT. THEY WERE UNAWARE THAT ANOTHER ACFT WAS ON A 2 AND ONE HALF MILE FINAL. THIS LED TO THE PLTS TO ASSUME IT WAS FROM ANOTHER ACFT CROSSING AT THE UPWIND END OF THE RWY. TWR DID NOT NOTIFY THE CREW THAT THERE WAS AN ACFT ON A FINAL APP.

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.