Narrative:

Just after initiation of takeoff roll on runway 3, sat tower directed us to 'cancel takeoff clearance.' I momentarily reduced power slightly, after which tower told us to 'continue takeoff if safe to do so.' since both the captain and I were comfortable with continuing the takeoff, I re-advanced the power to takeoff thrust and made an uneventful takeoff. Once safely airborne, tower told us he 'thought he cleared us on to hold.' the clearance I remember was 'company number, cleared for takeoff, traffic departing crossing runway.' I also believed I read back, 'company number, cleared for takeoff.' I remember thinking that it was odd that tower would clear us for takeoff with another aircraft departing on runway 12R, but if figured tower had the spacing worked out and was just trying to be efficient. In the future, I will question a takeoff clearance like this. Name number 'ps.' we finally talked to sat tower on the phone. According to the tower supervisor, a review of the tapes indicates that they did clear us for takeoff and I did read back 'cleared for takeoff.' they are taking up the issue with the controller. Lesson learned for me is that if I had questioned what I thought was an odd takeoff clearance this whole affair could have been avoided. Supplemental information from acn 590635: the contributing factors were the use of multiple and intersecting runways. In hindsight, we could have questioned the clearance to take off with departing traffic on the intersecting runway. However, the other aircraft on runway 12R was just beginning his roll when we passed the intersection and the conflict was not a factor in my opinion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 DEP FROM SAT IS QUESTIONED BY ATC REF TKOF CLRNC.

Narrative: JUST AFTER INITIATION OF TKOF ROLL ON RWY 3, SAT TWR DIRECTED US TO 'CANCEL TKOF CLRNC.' I MOMENTARILY REDUCED PWR SLIGHTLY, AFTER WHICH TWR TOLD US TO 'CONTINUE TKOF IF SAFE TO DO SO.' SINCE BOTH THE CAPT AND I WERE COMFORTABLE WITH CONTINUING THE TKOF, I RE-ADVANCED THE PWR TO TKOF THRUST AND MADE AN UNEVENTFUL TKOF. ONCE SAFELY AIRBORNE, TWR TOLD US HE 'THOUGHT HE CLRED US ON TO HOLD.' THE CLRNC I REMEMBER WAS 'COMPANY NUMBER, CLRED FOR TKOF, TFC DEPARTING XING RWY.' I ALSO BELIEVED I READ BACK, 'COMPANY NUMBER, CLRED FOR TKOF.' I REMEMBER THINKING THAT IT WAS ODD THAT TWR WOULD CLR US FOR TKOF WITH ANOTHER ACFT DEPARTING ON RWY 12R, BUT IF FIGURED TWR HAD THE SPACING WORKED OUT AND WAS JUST TRYING TO BE EFFICIENT. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL QUESTION A TKOF CLRNC LIKE THIS. NAME NUMBER 'PS.' WE FINALLY TALKED TO SAT TWR ON THE PHONE. ACCORDING TO THE TWR SUPVR, A REVIEW OF THE TAPES INDICATES THAT THEY DID CLR US FOR TKOF AND I DID READ BACK 'CLRED FOR TKOF.' THEY ARE TAKING UP THE ISSUE WITH THE CTLR. LESSON LEARNED FOR ME IS THAT IF I HAD QUESTIONED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS AN ODD TKOF CLRNC THIS WHOLE AFFAIR COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 590635: THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE USE OF MULTIPLE AND INTERSECTING RWYS. IN HINDSIGHT, WE COULD HAVE QUESTIONED THE CLRNC TO TAKE OFF WITH DEPARTING TFC ON THE INTERSECTING RWY. HOWEVER, THE OTHER ACFT ON RWY 12R WAS JUST BEGINNING HIS ROLL WHEN WE PASSED THE INTXN AND THE CONFLICT WAS NOT A FACTOR IN MY OPINION.

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.