Narrative:

I called tower ready for takeoff and was cleared for takeoff from runway 31 at intersection B. I acknowledged this clearance and taxied into position on runway 13 by mistake without realizing it and added takeoff power. As I was taxiing into position I had noticed a jet landing on the intersecting runway 5 and thought it somewhat odd that I would have been cleared for takeoff. But instead of querying tower; I assumed the other aircraft had been given a lahso clearance. Tower noticed the problem as I was routing and canceled my takeoff clearance. I retarded the throttle and stopped 2000 ft short of the runway intersection. The other aircraft was also stopped prior to reaching the intersection. I could have prevented this issue in a variety of ways. First; with a runway combination of runway 13/31 that could easily be confused. I need to be vigilant that I hear the right runway number and taxi onto the correct one by careful reference to the directional gyro or compass. Also if anything at all seems even slightly out of the ordinary; it is dangerous to make any assumptions. If in doubt; always ask.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLRED FOR AN INTXN TKOF ON RWY 31 AT DSM; PLT OF C210 STARTS TO ROLL IN WRONG DIRECTION ON RWY 13. ALERT CTLR CANCELS TKOF CLRNC AND AVOIDS A CONFLICT WITH COMMUTER ACFT LNDG ON INTERSECTING RWY.

Narrative: I CALLED TWR READY FOR TKOF AND WAS CLRED FOR TKOF FROM RWY 31 AT INTXN B. I ACKNOWLEDGED THIS CLRNC AND TAXIED INTO POS ON RWY 13 BY MISTAKE WITHOUT REALIZING IT AND ADDED TKOF PWR. AS I WAS TAXIING INTO POS I HAD NOTICED A JET LNDG ON THE INTERSECTING RWY 5 AND THOUGHT IT SOMEWHAT ODD THAT I WOULD HAVE BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF. BUT INSTEAD OF QUERYING TWR; I ASSUMED THE OTHER ACFT HAD BEEN GIVEN A LAHSO CLRNC. TWR NOTICED THE PROB AS I WAS ROUTING AND CANCELED MY TKOF CLRNC. I RETARDED THE THROTTLE AND STOPPED 2000 FT SHORT OF THE RWY INTXN. THE OTHER ACFT WAS ALSO STOPPED PRIOR TO REACHING THE INTXN. I COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS ISSUE IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. FIRST; WITH A RWY COMBINATION OF RWY 13/31 THAT COULD EASILY BE CONFUSED. I NEED TO BE VIGILANT THAT I HEAR THE RIGHT RWY NUMBER AND TAXI ONTO THE CORRECT ONE BY CAREFUL REF TO THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO OR COMPASS. ALSO IF ANYTHING AT ALL SEEMS EVEN SLIGHTLY OUT OF THE ORDINARY; IT IS DANGEROUS TO MAKE ANY ASSUMPTIONS. IF IN DOUBT; ALWAYS ASK.

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.