Narrative:

Ind tower cleared air carrier X for takeoff from runway 23L. I read back takeoff clearance to tower. Upon reaching edge of the runway, tower canceled takeoff clearance and instructed us to continue through the runway to clear. Traffic was lear jet on final for runway 23L. After clearing the runway, we heard tower direct air carrier Y to departure. I believe tower controller misspoke and cleared us for takeoff when she intended air carrier Y to take off. She (the tower controller) was also talking to traffic for runway 23R. We could not hear traffic controller or aircraft she was directing on runway 23R. Could be a line of sight problem since ind only has 1 tower frequency published. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the confusion started when the controller was making xmissions and they were unable to hear the other aircraft respond. They were not sure at one point if their radios were working properly. He also said, with the other company aircraft on frequency and the controller talking to an aircraft they could not hear, may have caused them to hesitate a little when they first received a takeoff clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CREW AT IND MISUNDERSTOOD THE TWR AND HAD TKOF CLRNC CANCELED WHEN THEY REACHED THE RWY.

Narrative: IND TWR CLRED ACR X FOR TKOF FROM RWY 23L. I READ BACK TKOF CLRNC TO TWR. UPON REACHING EDGE OF THE RWY, TWR CANCELED TKOF CLRNC AND INSTRUCTED US TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE RWY TO CLR. TFC WAS LEAR JET ON FINAL FOR RWY 23L. AFTER CLRING THE RWY, WE HEARD TWR DIRECT ACR Y TO DEP. I BELIEVE TWR CTLR MISSPOKE AND CLRED US FOR TKOF WHEN SHE INTENDED ACR Y TO TAKE OFF. SHE (THE TWR CTLR) WAS ALSO TALKING TO TFC FOR RWY 23R. WE COULD NOT HEAR TFC CTLR OR ACFT SHE WAS DIRECTING ON RWY 23R. COULD BE A LINE OF SIGHT PROB SINCE IND ONLY HAS 1 TWR FREQ PUBLISHED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE CONFUSION STARTED WHEN THE CTLR WAS MAKING XMISSIONS AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO HEAR THE OTHER ACFT RESPOND. THEY WERE NOT SURE AT ONE POINT IF THEIR RADIOS WERE WORKING PROPERLY. HE ALSO SAID, WITH THE OTHER COMPANY ACFT ON FREQ AND THE CTLR TALKING TO AN ACFT THEY COULD NOT HEAR, MAY HAVE CAUSED THEM TO HESITATE A LITTLE WHEN THEY FIRST RECEIVED A TKOF CLRNC.

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.