CL65 departure from atl aborts takeoff when observing aircraft crossing runway downfield.

Attributes
ACN	687699
Time
Date	200602
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : atl.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	687699
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Atl tower cleared us to position and hold runway 26L. As we began our taxi; atl tower cleared us for takeoff runway 26L. As we lined up on runway 26L I xferred the controls to the first officer. As he was about to advance the thrust levers he points out and says 'is there an aircraft crossing the runway?' the first officer was correct; an aircraft just started to cross runway 26L midway down the runway to join taxiway east. I regained aircraft controls and immediately stopped the aircraft. We must have rolled approximately 10-20 ft. As I was about to query ATC; atl tower gave us instruction to cancel takeoff clearance and to taxi clear of runway 26L at our first left entrance. We complied and cleared runway 26L at E13. We asked to verify that we were previously cleared for takeoff runway 26L but there was no response. We asked the tower one more time and the controller's response was 'I don't know what is going on' I just got to this station. We were positive we did hear the clearance but at that time we did not pursue any further clarification with the tower. We eventually left atl with no further incidents. During flight; ZTL gave me the phone number of mr X (atl tower) and asked me to call it once I got to my destination. I did eventually call him that evening. Mr X wanted to discuss my point of view of the incident. He thanked me for my input and advised me that he would have to send the controller involved through retraining.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL65 DEP FROM ATL ABORTS TKOF WHEN OBSERVING ACFT XING RWY DOWNFIELD.

Narrative: ATL TWR CLRED US TO POS AND HOLD RWY 26L. AS WE BEGAN OUR TAXI; ATL TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF RWY 26L. AS WE LINED UP ON RWY 26L I XFERRED THE CTLS TO THE FO. AS HE WAS ABOUT TO ADVANCE THE THRUST LEVERS HE POINTS OUT AND SAYS 'IS THERE AN ACFT XING THE RWY?' THE FO WAS CORRECT; AN ACFT JUST STARTED TO CROSS RWY 26L MIDWAY DOWN THE RWY TO JOIN TXWY E. I REGAINED ACFT CTLS AND IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE ACFT. WE MUST HAVE ROLLED APPROX 10-20 FT. AS I WAS ABOUT TO QUERY ATC; ATL TWR GAVE US INSTRUCTION TO CANCEL TKOF CLRNC AND TO TAXI CLR OF RWY 26L AT OUR FIRST L ENTRANCE. WE COMPLIED AND CLRED RWY 26L AT E13. WE ASKED TO VERIFY THAT WE WERE PREVIOUSLY CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 26L BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. WE ASKED THE TWR ONE MORE TIME AND THE CTLR'S RESPONSE WAS 'I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON' I JUST GOT TO THIS STATION. WE WERE POSITIVE WE DID HEAR THE CLRNC BUT AT THAT TIME WE DID NOT PURSUE ANY FURTHER CLARIFICATION WITH THE TWR. WE EVENTUALLY LEFT ATL WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENTS. DURING FLT; ZTL GAVE ME THE PHONE NUMBER OF MR X (ATL TWR) AND ASKED ME TO CALL IT ONCE I GOT TO MY DEST. I DID EVENTUALLY CALL HIM THAT EVENING. MR X WANTED TO DISCUSS MY POINT OF VIEW OF THE INCIDENT. HE THANKED ME FOR MY INPUT AND ADVISED ME THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO SEND THE CTLR INVOLVED THROUGH RETRAINING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.