Narrative:

As we approached runway 26R in ont for takeoff, we contacted tower and were told to hold short for IFR release. We noticed an aircraft 3 mi out, and it appeared to be on final for runway 26L. After about 30 seconds, tower cleared us for takeoff on runway 26R. I verbalized 'final is clear, that guy is landing on the left,' and I taxied onto the runway from taxiway west (the end) and eased the power up to about 50%. Another carrier, the traffic on final, called 'tower, what's company doing?' I knew now he was trying to land on runway 26R, so I kept moving and cleared the runway immediately at taxiway V (500 ft up). Before tower could respond, the other carrier called 'carrier is going around.' as I cleared the runway, I asked 'tower, which runway was carrier cleared to land on?' their response was '26R -- my mistake -- sorry.' we were cleared for takeoff again and did so uneventfully. I called the tower after landing in oak and discussed the incident. Several factors led to this incident: 1) we were still on ground frequency when tower cleared the other carrier to land on runway 26R, so we never heard it. 2) we were told to hold short for IFR release, not landing traffic, leading to the perception the landing traffic was cleared for runway 26L. 3) the combination of parallel runway close proximity and a left crosswind made it look like the traffic was headed for runway 26L. 4) tower failed to keep their runway operations straight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ONT ATCT LCL CTLR CLRS A B737 FLT CREW FOR TKOF WITH TFC ON FINAL FOR THE SAME PARALLEL RWY.

Narrative: AS WE APCHED RWY 26R IN ONT FOR TKOF, WE CONTACTED TWR AND WERE TOLD TO HOLD SHORT FOR IFR RELEASE. WE NOTICED AN ACFT 3 MI OUT, AND IT APPEARED TO BE ON FINAL FOR RWY 26L. AFTER ABOUT 30 SECONDS, TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF ON RWY 26R. I VERBALIZED 'FINAL IS CLR, THAT GUY IS LNDG ON THE L,' AND I TAXIED ONTO THE RWY FROM TXWY W (THE END) AND EASED THE PWR UP TO ABOUT 50%. ANOTHER CARRIER, THE TFC ON FINAL, CALLED 'TWR, WHAT'S COMPANY DOING?' I KNEW NOW HE WAS TRYING TO LAND ON RWY 26R, SO I KEPT MOVING AND CLRED THE RWY IMMEDIATELY AT TXWY V (500 FT UP). BEFORE TWR COULD RESPOND, THE OTHER CARRIER CALLED 'CARRIER IS GOING AROUND.' AS I CLRED THE RWY, I ASKED 'TWR, WHICH RWY WAS CARRIER CLRED TO LAND ON?' THEIR RESPONSE WAS '26R -- MY MISTAKE -- SORRY.' WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF AGAIN AND DID SO UNEVENTFULLY. I CALLED THE TWR AFTER LNDG IN OAK AND DISCUSSED THE INCIDENT. SEVERAL FACTORS LED TO THIS INCIDENT: 1) WE WERE STILL ON GND FREQ WHEN TWR CLRED THE OTHER CARRIER TO LAND ON RWY 26R, SO WE NEVER HEARD IT. 2) WE WERE TOLD TO HOLD SHORT FOR IFR RELEASE, NOT LNDG TFC, LEADING TO THE PERCEPTION THE LNDG TFC WAS CLRED FOR RWY 26L. 3) THE COMBINATION OF PARALLEL RWY CLOSE PROX AND A L XWIND MADE IT LOOK LIKE THE TFC WAS HEADED FOR RWY 26L. 4) TWR FAILED TO KEEP THEIR RWY OPS STRAIGHT.

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.