Narrative:

Shortly after being cleared for takeoff on runway 1L at sfo, a somewhat unclr 'X cancel your takeoff clearance' was heard. The first officer immediately asked the tower if they wanted air carrier X to abort the takeoff. The tower replied in the affirmative. The abort was initiated at approximately 80 KTS. A few seconds later tower asked us to hold short of runways 28L/right if possible. We were unable to hold short. It appeared that aircraft on short final to runways 28L/right executed gars. To me as a 'line pilot' the word 'abort' has more meaning to stop the aircraft than does 'cancel your takeoff clearance,' especially after my takeoff roll has started. Also any hold short restrs should be radioed as soon as possible. At 80 KTS and a long runway, there doesn't seem to be any emergency to slam on brakes and possibly scare passenger unless you know that a possible conflict is imminent. Supplemental information from acn 251538: I advised tower that we were at 80 KTS and did he want us to abort the takeoff. He responded affirmatively and said to hold short of runway 28 if possible. We had used approximately 2000 ft of runway when the 'cancel takeoff clearance' call came and after clarify with tower, it was impossible to hold short. This event was confusing as we were never told why to abort and therefore didn't know how aggressively to stop. We assumed it was due to landing traffic on runways 28L/right as we noticed 2 gars occurring there. I was further confused as to why runway 1L traffic was aborting and runway 1R traffic was continuing takeoff if there was a traffic conflict with runway 28L and/or runway 28R. The fastest way for us to clear the intxns would have been to continue takeoff. A near miss or runway incursion did not occur and would not have occurred if we had continued takeoff. If the tower must stop a takeoff that is in progress, use the terminology '(call sign) abort your takeoff.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MULTIPLE RWY OP PARALLEL INTERSECTING RWYS. ACR X TKOF CLRNC CANCELED COULD NOT HOLD SHORT OF INTXN RWYS.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER BEING CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 1L AT SFO, A SOMEWHAT UNCLR 'X CANCEL YOUR TKOF CLRNC' WAS HEARD. THE FO IMMEDIATELY ASKED THE TWR IF THEY WANTED ACR X TO ABORT THE TKOF. THE TWR REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THE ABORT WAS INITIATED AT APPROX 80 KTS. A FEW SECONDS LATER TWR ASKED US TO HOLD SHORT OF RWYS 28L/R IF POSSIBLE. WE WERE UNABLE TO HOLD SHORT. IT APPEARED THAT ACFT ON SHORT FINAL TO RWYS 28L/R EXECUTED GARS. TO ME AS A 'LINE PLT' THE WORD 'ABORT' HAS MORE MEANING TO STOP THE ACFT THAN DOES 'CANCEL YOUR TKOF CLRNC,' ESPECIALLY AFTER MY TKOF ROLL HAS STARTED. ALSO ANY HOLD SHORT RESTRS SHOULD BE RADIOED ASAP. AT 80 KTS AND A LONG RWY, THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY EMER TO SLAM ON BRAKES AND POSSIBLY SCARE PAX UNLESS YOU KNOW THAT A POSSIBLE CONFLICT IS IMMINENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 251538: I ADVISED TWR THAT WE WERE AT 80 KTS AND DID HE WANT US TO ABORT THE TKOF. HE RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVELY AND SAID TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 28 IF POSSIBLE. WE HAD USED APPROX 2000 FT OF RWY WHEN THE 'CANCEL TKOF CLRNC' CALL CAME AND AFTER CLARIFY WITH TWR, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO HOLD SHORT. THIS EVENT WAS CONFUSING AS WE WERE NEVER TOLD WHY TO ABORT AND THEREFORE DIDN'T KNOW HOW AGGRESSIVELY TO STOP. WE ASSUMED IT WAS DUE TO LNDG TFC ON RWYS 28L/R AS WE NOTICED 2 GARS OCCURRING THERE. I WAS FURTHER CONFUSED AS TO WHY RWY 1L TFC WAS ABORTING AND RWY 1R TFC WAS CONTINUING TKOF IF THERE WAS A TFC CONFLICT WITH RWY 28L AND/OR RWY 28R. THE FASTEST WAY FOR US TO CLR THE INTXNS WOULD HAVE BEEN TO CONTINUE TKOF. A NEAR MISS OR RWY INCURSION DID NOT OCCUR AND WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IF WE HAD CONTINUED TKOF. IF THE TWR MUST STOP A TKOF THAT IS IN PROGRESS, USE THE TERMINOLOGY '(CALL SIGN) ABORT YOUR TKOF.'

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.