Light transport PIC aborts takeoff when clearance is questioned.

Attributes
ACN	156143
Time
Date	199009
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	156143
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

We were in position and holding for departure on 35L den. Heard tower departure clearance. I responded, 'rolling 35L.' we finished takeoff checklist. At about 60 KTS we heard tower say he would have us ready to go in a minute. I said, 'we heard you clear us for departure and had responded.' then I said, 'aborting takeoff,' and did. At this point he said something to the effect of there was a question in his mind whether he had or had not cleared us for departure. I said ok and returned for a normal departure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT PIC ABORTS TKOF WHEN CLRNC IS QUESTIONED.

Narrative: WE WERE IN POS AND HOLDING FOR DEP ON 35L DEN. HEARD TWR DEP CLRNC. I RESPONDED, 'ROLLING 35L.' WE FINISHED TKOF CHKLIST. AT ABOUT 60 KTS WE HEARD TWR SAY HE WOULD HAVE US READY TO GO IN A MINUTE. I SAID, 'WE HEARD YOU CLR US FOR DEP AND HAD RESPONDED.' THEN I SAID, 'ABORTING TKOF,' AND DID. AT THIS POINT HE SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF THERE WAS A QUESTION IN HIS MIND WHETHER HE HAD OR HAD NOT CLRED US FOR DEP. I SAID OK AND RETURNED FOR A NORMAL DEP.

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.