Narrative:

Taxi out to runway 23R, raleigh-durham, tower instructed us to hold short. We replied and did so. Aircraft on a 3-4 mi final. Tower asked if we could take an immediate takeoff. We replied to the affirmative. Tower cleared us for takeoff. We responded. About the time the nosewheel crossed the hold short line, tower instructed us to cancel takeoff clearance, hold short of runway 23R. We replied that we had already crossed the hold short line. Tower then cleared us for immediate takeoff. We responded, 'clear for takeoff.' as we were lining up with runway centerline, tower instructed us to cancel takeoff clearance, position and hold. We responded, 'position and hold.' we hadn't been doing more than 15 KTS ground speed at this point and the engines hadn't been set for takeoff. I think the tower had sent the approaching aircraft around, being 200-300 ft from the approach end of the runway now, and having had up to 5 conflicting directives from the tower in a span of less than 30 seconds. We told the tower we needed to clear the runway before beginning another takeoff roll. We got clearance to clear the runway, did so and took off uneventfully perhaps 2 mins later. I think the tower controller just second-guessed this decision too late into the situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 CAPT RPTED THAT HE RECEIVED CONFLICTING INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE RDU LCL CTLR REGARDING HIS TKOF CLRNC WHICH CAUSED ANOTHER ACFT TO GO AROUND.

Narrative: TAXI OUT TO RWY 23R, RALEIGH-DURHAM, TWR INSTRUCTED US TO HOLD SHORT. WE REPLIED AND DID SO. ACFT ON A 3-4 MI FINAL. TWR ASKED IF WE COULD TAKE AN IMMEDIATE TKOF. WE REPLIED TO THE AFFIRMATIVE. TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF. WE RESPONDED. ABOUT THE TIME THE NOSEWHEEL CROSSED THE HOLD SHORT LINE, TWR INSTRUCTED US TO CANCEL TKOF CLRNC, HOLD SHORT OF RWY 23R. WE REPLIED THAT WE HAD ALREADY CROSSED THE HOLD SHORT LINE. TWR THEN CLRED US FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF. WE RESPONDED, 'CLR FOR TKOF.' AS WE WERE LINING UP WITH RWY CTRLINE, TWR INSTRUCTED US TO CANCEL TKOF CLRNC, POS AND HOLD. WE RESPONDED, 'POS AND HOLD.' WE HADN'T BEEN DOING MORE THAN 15 KTS GND SPD AT THIS POINT AND THE ENGS HADN'T BEEN SET FOR TKOF. I THINK THE TWR HAD SENT THE APCHING ACFT AROUND, BEING 200-300 FT FROM THE APCH END OF THE RWY NOW, AND HAVING HAD UP TO 5 CONFLICTING DIRECTIVES FROM THE TWR IN A SPAN OF LESS THAN 30 SECONDS. WE TOLD THE TWR WE NEEDED TO CLR THE RWY BEFORE BEGINNING ANOTHER TKOF ROLL. WE GOT CLRNC TO CLR THE RWY, DID SO AND TOOK OFF UNEVENTFULLY PERHAPS 2 MINS LATER. I THINK THE TWR CTLR JUST SECOND-GUESSED THIS DECISION TOO LATE INTO THE SIT.

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.