Narrative:

Flight abcd was cleared to takeoff runway 09L at phl. During initial phase of takeoff with all aircraft lights on, I noticed an air carrier Y aircraft taxiing north on taxiway november toward runway 09L. I determined that if air carrier Y failed to hold short, both aircraft would reach the intersection of runway 09L and taxiway november at about the same time. At that time, I elected to perform a low speed abort. During the abort, we observed the air carrier Y aircraft continue north, and in fact, did not slow down, but taxied onto the runway 09L. Flight abcd reported that it was aborting due to an 'aircraft on the runway.' once clear, it was determined that the flight could continue without delay. Enroute to atlanta, the company pilot on duty contacted phl tower and they reported that they had in fact experienced a breakdown in communication. Contributing factors: 1) tower working aircraft on two frequencys. 2) runway orientation with setting sun XP30 (left) time air carrier Y crew would be looking west into the sun. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter assumes crossing air carrier had landed on runway 9R and was expediting, by ATC clearance authority, to the ramp. As the reporter saw the situation develop, the PIC was waiting for a DC9 to become airborne from runway 9L. The PIC alleges they had already been cleared for takeoff, and the PIC directed the first officer to delay takeoff power until they could see that the DC9 was airborne. While delaying and bringing up power for takeoff, the airbus caught his eye, and perceived the airbus would not be able to stop in time short of the runway. As the brakes were released and now under power, the PIC ordered the abort. The airbus entered the runway as the B727 first officer was directed to announce the abort on local control frequency. The reporter stated that phl tower frequently will clear you for takeoff while the preceding aircraft on takeoff roll has all gear yet on the runway surface. The reporter believes this technique may have contributed to this event in some way.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 FLC INITIATE TKOF ABORT ON PHL RWY 9L WHEN OBSERVING ANOTHER ACR TAXIING, WITH NO APPEARANCE OF SLOWING AS THEY APCHED TO CROSS RWY 9L ON TXWY-N, AS THE B727 WAS APPLYING TKOF POWER.

Narrative: FLT ABCD WAS CLRED TO TKOF RWY 09L AT PHL. DURING INITIAL PHASE OF TKOF WITH ALL ACFT LIGHTS ON, I NOTICED AN ACR Y ACFT TAXIING N ON TXWY NOVEMBER TOWARD RWY 09L. I DETERMINED THAT IF ACR Y FAILED TO HOLD SHORT, BOTH ACFT WOULD REACH THE INTXN OF RWY 09L AND TXWY NOVEMBER AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME. AT THAT TIME, I ELECTED TO PERFORM A LOW SPEED ABORT. DURING THE ABORT, WE OBSERVED THE ACR Y ACFT CONTINUE N, AND IN FACT, DID NOT SLOW DOWN, BUT TAXIED ONTO THE RWY 09L. FLT ABCD RPTED THAT IT WAS ABORTING DUE TO AN 'ACFT ON THE RWY.' ONCE CLR, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FLT COULD CONTINUE WITHOUT DELAY. ENROUTE TO ATLANTA, THE COMPANY PLT ON DUTY CONTACTED PHL TWR AND THEY RPTED THAT THEY HAD IN FACT EXPERIENCED A BREAKDOWN IN COMMUNICATION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) TWR WORKING ACFT ON TWO FREQS. 2) RWY ORIENTATION WITH SETTING SUN XP30 (L) TIME ACR Y CREW WOULD BE LOOKING W INTO THE SUN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ASSUMES XING ACR HAD LANDED ON RWY 9R AND WAS EXPEDITING, BY ATC CLRNC AUTHORITY, TO THE RAMP. AS THE RPTR SAW THE SIT DEVELOP, THE PIC WAS WAITING FOR A DC9 TO BECOME AIRBORNE FROM RWY 9L. THE PIC ALLEGES THEY HAD ALREADY BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF, AND THE PIC DIRECTED THE FO TO DELAY TKOF POWER UNTIL THEY COULD SEE THAT THE DC9 WAS AIRBORNE. WHILE DELAYING AND BRINGING UP POWER FOR TKOF, THE AIRBUS CAUGHT HIS EYE, AND PERCEIVED THE AIRBUS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STOP IN TIME SHORT OF THE RWY. AS THE BRAKES WERE RELEASED AND NOW UNDER POWER, THE PIC ORDERED THE ABORT. THE AIRBUS ENTERED THE RWY AS THE B727 FO WAS DIRECTED TO ANNOUNCE THE ABORT ON LCL CTL FREQ. THE RPTR STATED THAT PHL TWR FREQUENTLY WILL CLR YOU FOR TKOF WHILE THE PRECEDING ACFT ON TKOF ROLL HAS ALL GEAR YET ON THE RWY SURFACE. THE RPTR BELIEVES THIS TECHNIQUE MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS EVENT IN SOME WAY.

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.