Narrative:

Upon taxiing out to runway 23 at cak, we were given a void time of XA27. At the end of the runway, we had 4 or 5 mins to wait. 1 man was operating ground, tower and departure. ATC cleared aircraft Y to back taxi from another intersection on runway 23 and was cleared for takeoff. Once aircraft Y departed, we were cleared into position and hold. ATC got a call for a clearance and another aircraft to taxi. At about that moment, aircraft Y called stating he needed to return to the field. We were cleared for takeoff, runway heading. First officer read back cleared for takeoff. Shortly thereafter, we were told we were radar contact. After talking to other aircraft, he stated that we failed to meet our turn direct briggs (bsv), which was on our flight plan. But he never gave us direct briggs. He cleared us direct aeros and up to 8000 ft. First officer should have read back full takeoff clearance. ATC should not be operating multiple frequencys despite low volume of traffic. He can be overwhelmed easily in an emergency. I did not hear aircraft Y declare an emergency. When he needed to return, he was turning crosswind and we still had him in sight. Also, ATC needed us off runway 23 because he cleared aircraft Y for a visual approach and cleared to land runway 23.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HIGH VOLUME OF ACFT COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITY RESULTS IN A MISSED CLRNC READBACK WHEN CL65 FLC IS CLRED FOR TKOF.

Narrative: UPON TAXIING OUT TO RWY 23 AT CAK, WE WERE GIVEN A VOID TIME OF XA27. AT THE END OF THE RWY, WE HAD 4 OR 5 MINS TO WAIT. 1 MAN WAS OPERATING GND, TWR AND DEP. ATC CLRED ACFT Y TO BACK TAXI FROM ANOTHER INTXN ON RWY 23 AND WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. ONCE ACFT Y DEPARTED, WE WERE CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD. ATC GOT A CALL FOR A CLRNC AND ANOTHER ACFT TO TAXI. AT ABOUT THAT MOMENT, ACFT Y CALLED STATING HE NEEDED TO RETURN TO THE FIELD. WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF, RWY HEADING. FO READ BACK CLRED FOR TKOF. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE WERE TOLD WE WERE RADAR CONTACT. AFTER TALKING TO OTHER ACFT, HE STATED THAT WE FAILED TO MEET OUR TURN DIRECT BRIGGS (BSV), WHICH WAS ON OUR FLT PLAN. BUT HE NEVER GAVE US DIRECT BRIGGS. HE CLRED US DIRECT AEROS AND UP TO 8000 FT. FO SHOULD HAVE READ BACK FULL TKOF CLRNC. ATC SHOULD NOT BE OPERATING MULTIPLE FREQS DESPITE LOW VOLUME OF TFC. HE CAN BE OVERWHELMED EASILY IN AN EMER. I DID NOT HEAR ACFT Y DECLARE AN EMER. WHEN HE NEEDED TO RETURN, HE WAS TURNING XWIND AND WE STILL HAD HIM IN SIGHT. ALSO, ATC NEEDED US OFF RWY 23 BECAUSE HE CLRED ACFT Y FOR A VISUAL APCH AND CLRED TO LAND RWY 23.

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.