Narrative:

We called for taxi and were cleared to taxi to and hold short of runway 20. Upon completing the taxi checks we called the tower that we were 'ready for takeoff holding short of runway 20.' the tower controller responded 'you're cleared for takeoff runway 16, fly a 160 degree heading.' first officer responded 'understand we are now cleared for takeoff runway 16, we need to change the FMS.' the controller replied 'you can use runway 20 if you like.' we replied 'that's ok we have made the change already.' the controller then said 'cleared for takeoff runway 16 fly a 160 degree heading.' first officer replied 'roger, cleared for takeoff runway 16, fly a 160 degree heading.' we started to slowly taxi across runway 20 while completing the before takeoff checklist. We were taxiing into position on runway 16 when the controller called saying 'abort takeoff that runway is closed.' we continued taxiing and added power to taxi to first available taxiway, taxiway C, to clear runway. During our preflight briefing we noted that the runway was notamed closed. There were no closed markings on the runway and no men or equipment on runway. Runway was clear. Both pilots feel, in hindsight, we should have questioned that runway takeoff clearance given the NOTAM, but we relied on the local controller knowing the status of the runway, especially seeing no men or equipment on runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR TURBOJET CREW DEPARTING RIC IS CLRED FOR TKOF ON A CLOSED RWY, BUT THEN IMMEDIATELY ABORTED BY THE CTLR.

Narrative: WE CALLED FOR TAXI AND WERE CLRED TO TAXI TO AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 20. UPON COMPLETING THE TAXI CHKS WE CALLED THE TWR THAT WE WERE 'READY FOR TKOF HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 20.' THE TWR CTLR RESPONDED 'YOU'RE CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 16, FLY A 160 DEG HDG.' FO RESPONDED 'UNDERSTAND WE ARE NOW CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 16, WE NEED TO CHANGE THE FMS.' THE CTLR REPLIED 'YOU CAN USE RWY 20 IF YOU LIKE.' WE REPLIED 'THAT'S OK WE HAVE MADE THE CHANGE ALREADY.' THE CTLR THEN SAID 'CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 16 FLY A 160 DEG HDG.' FO REPLIED 'ROGER, CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 16, FLY A 160 DEG HDG.' WE STARTED TO SLOWLY TAXI ACROSS RWY 20 WHILE COMPLETING THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST. WE WERE TAXIING INTO POS ON RWY 16 WHEN THE CTLR CALLED SAYING 'ABORT TKOF THAT RWY IS CLOSED.' WE CONTINUED TAXIING AND ADDED PWR TO TAXI TO FIRST AVAILABLE TXWY, TXWY C, TO CLR RWY. DURING OUR PREFLT BRIEFING WE NOTED THAT THE RWY WAS NOTAMED CLOSED. THERE WERE NO CLOSED MARKINGS ON THE RWY AND NO MEN OR EQUIP ON RWY. RWY WAS CLR. BOTH PLTS FEEL, IN HINDSIGHT, WE SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED THAT RWY TKOF CLRNC GIVEN THE NOTAM, BUT WE RELIED ON THE LCL CTLR KNOWING THE STATUS OF THE RWY, ESPECIALLY SEEING NO MEN OR EQUIP ON RWY.

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.