Narrative:

We had just started our takeoff roll on runway 14 in dothan, al, headed for atl. At about the time we got full power set, about 30 or 40 KTS, the tower controller said 'cancel takeoff clearance.' we immediately aborted the takeoff, assuming that the controller had seen something we couldn't see. After we cleared the runway it was explained to us that an atl ground stop had been issued by ZJX, and after inadvertently giving us the takeoff clearance he had decided to quickly take it back before we departed. For some reason our ground stop was then lifted and we taxied back for an uneventful takeoff. I'm not sure what ATC's rules are, but in my opinion it is unsafe for a controller to effectively call an abort during the takeoff roll unless the reason is safety related. Our margin of safety was potentially reduced, not only by the unnecessary abort, but also during the process of having to reconfigure for takeoff when good CRM flow could have been affected by the distraction.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR'S ACFT RECEIVED TKOF CLRNC FROM TWR. BEGAN TKOF ROLL AND THEN WAS TOLD BY TWR TO CANCEL TKOF CLRNC. FLC ABORTED TKOF.

Narrative: WE HAD JUST STARTED OUR TKOF ROLL ON RWY 14 IN DOTHAN, AL, HEADED FOR ATL. AT ABOUT THE TIME WE GOT FULL PWR SET, ABOUT 30 OR 40 KTS, THE TWR CTLR SAID 'CANCEL TKOF CLRNC.' WE IMMEDIATELY ABORTED THE TKOF, ASSUMING THAT THE CTLR HAD SEEN SOMETHING WE COULDN'T SEE. AFTER WE CLRED THE RWY IT WAS EXPLAINED TO US THAT AN ATL GND STOP HAD BEEN ISSUED BY ZJX, AND AFTER INADVERTENTLY GIVING US THE TKOF CLRNC HE HAD DECIDED TO QUICKLY TAKE IT BACK BEFORE WE DEPARTED. FOR SOME REASON OUR GND STOP WAS THEN LIFTED AND WE TAXIED BACK FOR AN UNEVENTFUL TKOF. I'M NOT SURE WHAT ATC'S RULES ARE, BUT IN MY OPINION IT IS UNSAFE FOR A CTLR TO EFFECTIVELY CALL AN ABORT DURING THE TKOF ROLL UNLESS THE REASON IS SAFETY RELATED. OUR MARGIN OF SAFETY WAS POTENTIALLY REDUCED, NOT ONLY BY THE UNNECESSARY ABORT, BUT ALSO DURING THE PROCESS OF HAVING TO RECONFIGURE FOR TKOF WHEN GOOD CRM FLOW COULD HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE DISTR.

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.