Narrative:

While taxiing on taxiway a to runway 12R we switched to msp tower frequency. We heard msp tower instructing a DC10 to go around due to insufficient spacing. We then heard the tower say 'cleared for takeoff' and the first officer read back 'air carrier xyz cleared for takeoff.' the captain (myself) did not hear the full call sign so I then verified with the first officer that the takeoff clearance was for us, and was he sure that it was for us? He said 'yes.' this type of aircraft has 3 pilots and on this particular flight. We also had 2 pilots on the jump seat. Since there was no disagreement from the other pilots we completed the before takeoff checklist and made our turn onto the runway. Just as we began increasing thrust to begin our takeoff roll we observed another aircraft, (a gulfstream or falcon jet) entering the runway in front of us at another intersection on the opposite side of the runway from which we had entered. (We never heard the tower give any instruction to that aircraft.) we reduced to idle power and held our position on the runway. We queried the tower as to why the other aircraft was on the runway. At that point the tower told us that he never gave us takeoff clearance, and the only aircraft that he had talked to was the falcon's clearance into position and hold. Tower then cleared the falcon for takeoff and instructed us to clear the runway to the left and taxi back to the departure end of runway 12R. After taxiing off all 3 pilots confirmed they had heard 'clear for takeoff,' and all 3 pilots heard the first officer read back the clearance 'air carrier xyz cleared for takeoff.' since we were at the #1 position for takeoff and on tower frequency, and at no time heard any other communication between the tower and the other aircraft and the fact we read back the clearance with our call sign, we believed the clearance was for us. (We had no knowledge tower was working 2 frequencys and 2 runways.)

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC ABORTS TKOF DUE TO CONFLICTING TFC.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING ON TXWY A TO RWY 12R WE SWITCHED TO MSP TWR FREQ. WE HEARD MSP TWR INSTRUCTING A DC10 TO GO AROUND DUE TO INSUFFICIENT SPACING. WE THEN HEARD THE TWR SAY 'CLRED FOR TKOF' AND THE FO READ BACK 'ACR XYZ CLRED FOR TKOF.' THE CAPT (MYSELF) DID NOT HEAR THE FULL CALL SIGN SO I THEN VERIFIED WITH THE FO THAT THE TKOF CLRNC WAS FOR US, AND WAS HE SURE THAT IT WAS FOR US? HE SAID 'YES.' THIS TYPE OF ACFT HAS 3 PLTS AND ON THIS PARTICULAR FLT. WE ALSO HAD 2 PLTS ON THE JUMP SEAT. SINCE THERE WAS NO DISAGREEMENT FROM THE OTHER PLTS WE COMPLETED THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST AND MADE OUR TURN ONTO THE RWY. JUST AS WE BEGAN INCREASING THRUST TO BEGIN OUR TKOF ROLL WE OBSERVED ANOTHER ACFT, (A GULFSTREAM OR FALCON JET) ENTERING THE RWY IN FRONT OF US AT ANOTHER INTXN ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE RWY FROM WHICH WE HAD ENTERED. (WE NEVER HEARD THE TWR GIVE ANY INSTRUCTION TO THAT ACFT.) WE REDUCED TO IDLE PWR AND HELD OUR POS ON THE RWY. WE QUERIED THE TWR AS TO WHY THE OTHER ACFT WAS ON THE RWY. AT THAT POINT THE TWR TOLD US THAT HE NEVER GAVE US TKOF CLRNC, AND THE ONLY ACFT THAT HE HAD TALKED TO WAS THE FALCON'S CLRNC INTO POS AND HOLD. TWR THEN CLRED THE FALCON FOR TKOF AND INSTRUCTED US TO CLR THE RWY TO THE L AND TAXI BACK TO THE DEP END OF RWY 12R. AFTER TAXIING OFF ALL 3 PLTS CONFIRMED THEY HAD HEARD 'CLR FOR TKOF,' AND ALL 3 PLTS HEARD THE FO READ BACK THE CLRNC 'ACR XYZ CLRED FOR TKOF.' SINCE WE WERE AT THE #1 POS FOR TKOF AND ON TWR FREQ, AND AT NO TIME HEARD ANY OTHER COM BTWN THE TWR AND THE OTHER ACFT AND THE FACT WE READ BACK THE CLRNC WITH OUR CALL SIGN, WE BELIEVED THE CLRNC WAS FOR US. (WE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE TWR WAS WORKING 2 FREQS AND 2 RWYS.)

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.