Narrative:

We were in position and hold on runway 1R at sfo and aircraft Y; a brasilia; was in position and hold on runway 1L at sfo. Lndgs were being conducted on runway 28L/right. I heard tower say aircraft X cleared for takeoff runway 1R. The first officer read back the takeoff clearance; I turned on the landing lights and we completed the takeoff checklist and the first officer began the takeoff roll. We had only rolled about 50 ft when tower canceled our takeoff clearance and told us to hold. We noted that the brasilia had begun its takeoff roll and continued to take off. Neither of us remembered the brasilia being cleared for takeoff; but the first officer said that when tower had cleared us for takeoff; tower said 'aircraft Y...aircraft X cleared for takeoff runway 1R.' tower did not give us a reason why takeoff clearance was canceled and I didn't query it since the tower frequency was very busy as usual in sfo. After about 1 min or 2; tower once again cleared us for takeoff without any additional comments. Best we can figure is that the brasilia; having heard the 'brasilia' at the beginning of our takeoff clearance; misheard the tower and thought they were cleared for takeoff on runway 1L. But that is only a guess. No radio calls were heard from tower to the brasilia after they took off. Supplemental information from acn 789977: sfo ground changed clearance from runway 28L shore 1 departure to sfo 8 runway 1R. A min later; tower clears us to take off. We decline. I rework FMC for departure; check performance; reset barometric bug and re-brief new departure and engine out procedure. Tower clears us to position and hold runway 1R. Then tower clears; 'air carrier Y; err -- I mean; air carrier X; cleared to take off runway 1R.' I read back 'air carrier X cleared for takeoff runway 1R.' at this point I notice a brasilia beginning to accelerate on runway 1L. We went maybe 30 ft when tower said 'air carrier X cancel takeoff clearance.' in retrospect; I believe aircraft Y heard its call sign mistakenly said in the clearance and he may have responded at the same time I did.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SFO TWR CTLR MISSPEAKS AND 2 ACFT IN POS ON RWYS 1L AND 1R ATTEMPT TO TAKE OFF TOGETHER.

Narrative: WE WERE IN POS AND HOLD ON RWY 1R AT SFO AND ACFT Y; A BRASILIA; WAS IN POS AND HOLD ON RWY 1L AT SFO. LNDGS WERE BEING CONDUCTED ON RWY 28L/R. I HEARD TWR SAY ACFT X CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 1R. THE FO READ BACK THE TKOF CLRNC; I TURNED ON THE LNDG LIGHTS AND WE COMPLETED THE TKOF CHKLIST AND THE FO BEGAN THE TKOF ROLL. WE HAD ONLY ROLLED ABOUT 50 FT WHEN TWR CANCELED OUR TKOF CLRNC AND TOLD US TO HOLD. WE NOTED THAT THE BRASILIA HAD BEGUN ITS TKOF ROLL AND CONTINUED TO TAKE OFF. NEITHER OF US REMEMBERED THE BRASILIA BEING CLRED FOR TKOF; BUT THE FO SAID THAT WHEN TWR HAD CLRED US FOR TKOF; TWR SAID 'ACFT Y...ACFT X CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 1R.' TWR DID NOT GIVE US A REASON WHY TKOF CLRNC WAS CANCELED AND I DIDN'T QUERY IT SINCE THE TWR FREQ WAS VERY BUSY AS USUAL IN SFO. AFTER ABOUT 1 MIN OR 2; TWR ONCE AGAIN CLRED US FOR TKOF WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. BEST WE CAN FIGURE IS THAT THE BRASILIA; HAVING HEARD THE 'BRASILIA' AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR TKOF CLRNC; MISHEARD THE TWR AND THOUGHT THEY WERE CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 1L. BUT THAT IS ONLY A GUESS. NO RADIO CALLS WERE HEARD FROM TWR TO THE BRASILIA AFTER THEY TOOK OFF. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 789977: SFO GND CHANGED CLRNC FROM RWY 28L SHORE 1 DEP TO SFO 8 RWY 1R. A MIN LATER; TWR CLEARS US TO TAKE OFF. WE DECLINE. I REWORK FMC FOR DEP; CHK PERFORMANCE; RESET BAROMETRIC BUG AND RE-BRIEF NEW DEP AND ENG OUT PROC. TWR CLEARS US TO POS AND HOLD RWY 1R. THEN TWR CLEARS; 'ACR Y; ERR -- I MEAN; ACR X; CLRED TO TAKE OFF RWY 1R.' I READ BACK 'ACR X CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 1R.' AT THIS POINT I NOTICE A BRASILIA BEGINNING TO ACCELERATE ON RWY 1L. WE WENT MAYBE 30 FT WHEN TWR SAID 'ACR X CANCEL TKOF CLRNC.' IN RETROSPECT; I BELIEVE ACFT Y HEARD ITS CALL SIGN MISTAKENLY SAID IN THE CLRNC AND HE MAY HAVE RESPONDED AT THE SAME TIME I DID.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.