Narrative:

Aircraft Z was on final inside marker. We were cleared for immediate takeoff. We read back '(4 digits) cleared for immediate takeoff 18R.' we started our roll at which time I noticed company trip Y rolling on 27. I started to abort at which time tower controller yelled 'abort' over the radio, not specifying as to which aircraft. A few seconds later tower said 'our 4 digits cancel takeoff clearance and exit runway immediately.' then 'taxi back to runway 18R.' on taxi back we asked tower what problem was. She claimed we were never cleared for takeoff, but aircraft Y on 27 was. We notified her that we read back clearance. She said 'didn't hear that, aircraft on 27 did not acknowledge, but just started to roll.' aircraft on 27 made takeoff and aircraft on final 18 landed. Tower said no problems not to worry. I believe what happened was our aircraft flight number was cleared to takeoff on runway 27. We answered tower but didn't say what runway. Aircraft on 27 just started to roll. Tower intended for aircraft on 27 to takeoff just called out wrong flight number, and our acknowledgement they assumed was from aircraft Y. Supplemental information from acn 197670: holding short for takeoff, #1 for 18R. Another aircraft Z on final for 18R (just called on final). We heard 'our 2 digits, cleared for immediate takeoff.' (both crew members concur: we heard this.) (it made sense, an aircraft on final for our runway, do an immediate takeoff.) first officer read back 'our 4 digits cleared for immediate takeoff.' no reply, no correction, nothing further heard. We completed checklist and went onto runway 18R, began takeoff roll. Airspeed approximately 60 KTS, tower said '4 digits cancel your takeoff clearance...exit runway at taxiway....' we did, no problem. As we were aborting, company aircraft Y was taking off on runway 27. That is who the takeoff clearance was for. Apparently we both acknowledged the takeoff clearance at the same time, preventing the tower from hearing my readback. Tower said she 'did not hear my readback' and 'the aircraft on 27 did not acknowledge clearance, but just started to roll.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter called back to cvg tower later and was told that matter would not be pursued by FAA. Reporter also talked to PIC of company aircraft Y later and learned that trip Y had been sitting in takeoff position on runway 27 for about 10-15 mins. Still not sure which trip number controller used when issuing immediate takeoff clearance. Tapes were never reviewed. Controller seemed to panic a bit when both aircraft were noticed on takeoff roll and she did not specify which aircraft should abort. Pilot of Y told pilot of X later that he saw that X was aborting on runway 18R, so he continued to takeoff on runway 27. After abort reporter turned off at taxiway D5 so they were about 3000 ft from intersection.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTHORIZED TKOF BY COMMUTER.

Narrative: ACFT Z WAS ON FINAL INSIDE MARKER. WE WERE CLRED FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF. WE READ BACK '(4 DIGITS) CLRED FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF 18R.' WE STARTED OUR ROLL AT WHICH TIME I NOTICED COMPANY TRIP Y ROLLING ON 27. I STARTED TO ABORT AT WHICH TIME TWR CTLR YELLED 'ABORT' OVER THE RADIO, NOT SPECIFYING AS TO WHICH ACFT. A FEW SECONDS LATER TWR SAID 'OUR 4 DIGITS CANCEL TKOF CLRNC AND EXIT RWY IMMEDIATELY.' THEN 'TAXI BACK TO RWY 18R.' ON TAXI BACK WE ASKED TWR WHAT PROBLEM WAS. SHE CLAIMED WE WERE NEVER CLRED FOR TKOF, BUT ACFT Y ON 27 WAS. WE NOTIFIED HER THAT WE READ BACK CLRNC. SHE SAID 'DIDN'T HEAR THAT, ACFT ON 27 DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE, BUT JUST STARTED TO ROLL.' ACFT ON 27 MADE TKOF AND ACFT ON FINAL 18 LANDED. TWR SAID NO PROBLEMS NOT TO WORRY. I BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED WAS OUR ACFT FLT NUMBER WAS CLRED TO TKOF ON RWY 27. WE ANSWERED TWR BUT DIDN'T SAY WHAT RWY. ACFT ON 27 JUST STARTED TO ROLL. TWR INTENDED FOR ACFT ON 27 TO TKOF JUST CALLED OUT WRONG FLT NUMBER, AND OUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THEY ASSUMED WAS FROM ACFT Y. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 197670: HOLDING SHORT FOR TKOF, #1 FOR 18R. ANOTHER ACFT Z ON FINAL FOR 18R (JUST CALLED ON FINAL). WE HEARD 'OUR 2 DIGITS, CLRED FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF.' (BOTH CREW MEMBERS CONCUR: WE HEARD THIS.) (IT MADE SENSE, AN ACFT ON FINAL FOR OUR RWY, DO AN IMMEDIATE TKOF.) FO READ BACK 'OUR 4 DIGITS CLRED FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF.' NO REPLY, NO CORRECTION, NOTHING FURTHER HEARD. WE COMPLETED CHKLIST AND WENT ONTO RWY 18R, BEGAN TKOF ROLL. AIRSPD APPROX 60 KTS, TWR SAID '4 DIGITS CANCEL YOUR TKOF CLRNC...EXIT RWY AT TAXIWAY....' WE DID, NO PROBLEM. AS WE WERE ABORTING, COMPANY ACFT Y WAS TAKING OFF ON RWY 27. THAT IS WHO THE TKOF CLRNC WAS FOR. APPARENTLY WE BOTH ACKNOWLEDGED THE TKOF CLRNC AT THE SAME TIME, PREVENTING THE TWR FROM HEARING MY READBACK. TWR SAID SHE 'DID NOT HEAR MY READBACK' AND 'THE ACFT ON 27 DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE CLRNC, BUT JUST STARTED TO ROLL.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR CALLED BACK TO CVG TWR LATER AND WAS TOLD THAT MATTER WOULD NOT BE PURSUED BY FAA. RPTR ALSO TALKED TO PIC OF COMPANY ACFT Y LATER AND LEARNED THAT TRIP Y HAD BEEN SITTING IN TKOF POS ON RWY 27 FOR ABOUT 10-15 MINS. STILL NOT SURE WHICH TRIP NUMBER CTLR USED WHEN ISSUING IMMEDIATE TKOF CLRNC. TAPES WERE NEVER REVIEWED. CTLR SEEMED TO PANIC A BIT WHEN BOTH ACFT WERE NOTICED ON TKOF ROLL AND SHE DID NOT SPECIFY WHICH ACFT SHOULD ABORT. PLT OF Y TOLD PLT OF X LATER THAT HE SAW THAT X WAS ABORTING ON RWY 18R, SO HE CONTINUED TO TKOF ON RWY 27. AFTER ABORT RPTR TURNED OFF AT TAXIWAY D5 SO THEY WERE ABOUT 3000 FT FROM INTXN.

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.