Narrative:

We were told to position and hold on runway 36L; be ready for immediate departure; dash 8 on 3 mi final. After just turning aircraft to face centerline on runway; we were cleared for takeoff runway 36L no delay; arriving traffic. At about 60 KTS; the tower said something to the effect: (transmission was not loud and clear and cockpit noise level was loud with full power and crew callouts being made) 'air carrier X; you need to take off immediately or abort takeoff.' first officer (PF) heard 'air carrier X...abort.' first officer aborted takeoff. It would be best for ATC not to contact us during takeoff roll unless for an emergency. If an emergency (ie; herd of deer down the runway); ATC should make a brief statement like; 'air carrier X flight XXX abort takeoff if able abort.' in this case; I feel ATC should have let us continue takeoff uninterrupted and had the dash 8 go around. Supplemental information from acn 654857: when released; controllers told aircraft behind us to go around. Being PF; I was listening for additional instructions from captain and controllers. Suddenly heard controller tell me what was interpreted as the request to abort takeoff. Captain said to continue and informed him about what I heard tower say. Confusion existed because of poor communication.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B190 FLT CREW ABORTED TKOF AS ATC GAR INSTRUCTION TO AN ARR ACFT WAS MISUNDERSTOOD.

Narrative: WE WERE TOLD TO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 36L; BE READY FOR IMMEDIATE DEP; DASH 8 ON 3 MI FINAL. AFTER JUST TURNING ACFT TO FACE CTRLINE ON RWY; WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 36L NO DELAY; ARRIVING TFC. AT ABOUT 60 KTS; THE TWR SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT: (XMISSION WAS NOT LOUD AND CLR AND COCKPIT NOISE LEVEL WAS LOUD WITH FULL PWR AND CREW CALLOUTS BEING MADE) 'ACR X; YOU NEED TO TAKE OFF IMMEDIATELY OR ABORT TKOF.' FO (PF) HEARD 'ACR X...ABORT.' FO ABORTED TKOF. IT WOULD BE BEST FOR ATC NOT TO CONTACT US DURING TKOF ROLL UNLESS FOR AN EMER. IF AN EMER (IE; HERD OF DEER DOWN THE RWY); ATC SHOULD MAKE A BRIEF STATEMENT LIKE; 'ACR X FLT XXX ABORT TKOF IF ABLE ABORT.' IN THIS CASE; I FEEL ATC SHOULD HAVE LET US CONTINUE TKOF UNINTERRUPTED AND HAD THE DASH 8 GO AROUND. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 654857: WHEN RELEASED; CTLRS TOLD ACFT BEHIND US TO GO AROUND. BEING PF; I WAS LISTENING FOR ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FROM CAPT AND CTLRS. SUDDENLY HEARD CTLR TELL ME WHAT WAS INTERPED AS THE REQUEST TO ABORT TKOF. CAPT SAID TO CONTINUE AND INFORMED HIM ABOUT WHAT I HEARD TWR SAY. CONFUSION EXISTED BECAUSE OF POOR COM.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.