Narrative:

We are holding short of runway 33 at aspen. In typical operations; the tower will take an aircraft into position and hold while another aircraft is lining up for runway 15. Usually when the landing aircraft is within 6 NM; they launch the outbound plane and they follow the departure procedure and sidestep to the east and pass beside and behind the landing aircraft on final and exit the area through the valley. We are instructed 'position and hold runway 33; traffic on 10 mi final; a citation jet and another behind him.' as we are in position and ready for an immediate takeoff; we are listening to the tower instructions to the inbound aircraft. The tower controller instructs the citation jet to 'move 3 mi to the east to line up on centerline for runway 15; cleared to land; traffic holding in position.' the pilot acknowledges and promptly asks the tower; 'you want us 3 mi east of centerline?' the tower controller agrees and repeats the wrong instruction; 'yes; 3 mi east of centerline; cleared to land...aircraft X cleared for takeoff; traffic 5 mi final.' we acknowledge the takeoff clearance and ask to confirm; 'is the traffic lined with centerline or 3 mi east in our flight path?' tower responds; 'traffic will be 3 mi east of centerline.' I respond to tower that we 'are immediately vacating the runway (runway 33).' we taxied clear into the run-up area when another controller came on the radio and advised us that there was a miscom and to continue to hold short. My first officer and I recognized that this was a dangerous situation where the wrong instruction was given and if we had not been alert and launched; the other aircraft would have been directly in our flight path in the narrow valley. The atmosphere was rushed to get aircraft off the ground in time for arrs. We continued to hold short until both aircraft were clear of runway on ground and then took off for denver. I feel it is unsafe to hold planes in position for opposite arrs in order to have them pass within 2-3 mi of each other in a tight valley with high terrain. ATC will not allow aircraft to follow inside 4 mi of each other in wide open visual approachs. This is a recipe for a disaster. I will no longer accept this from aspen and shall hold until the north valley is clear of arriving aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DHC8 DEP FROM ASE ELECTS TO TAXI OFF RWY DURING OPPOSITE DIRECTION PROCS BECAUSE OF SUSPECTED CTLR CLRNC ERROR ISSUED TO ARR ACFT.

Narrative: WE ARE HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 33 AT ASPEN. IN TYPICAL OPS; THE TWR WILL TAKE AN ACFT INTO POS AND HOLD WHILE ANOTHER ACFT IS LINING UP FOR RWY 15. USUALLY WHEN THE LNDG ACFT IS WITHIN 6 NM; THEY LAUNCH THE OUTBOUND PLANE AND THEY FOLLOW THE DEP PROC AND SIDESTEP TO THE E AND PASS BESIDE AND BEHIND THE LNDG ACFT ON FINAL AND EXIT THE AREA THROUGH THE VALLEY. WE ARE INSTRUCTED 'POS AND HOLD RWY 33; TFC ON 10 MI FINAL; A CITATION JET AND ANOTHER BEHIND HIM.' AS WE ARE IN POS AND READY FOR AN IMMEDIATE TKOF; WE ARE LISTENING TO THE TWR INSTRUCTIONS TO THE INBOUND ACFT. THE TWR CTLR INSTRUCTS THE CITATION JET TO 'MOVE 3 MI TO THE E TO LINE UP ON CTRLINE FOR RWY 15; CLRED TO LAND; TFC HOLDING IN POS.' THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGES AND PROMPTLY ASKS THE TWR; 'YOU WANT US 3 MI E OF CTRLINE?' THE TWR CTLR AGREES AND REPEATS THE WRONG INSTRUCTION; 'YES; 3 MI E OF CTRLINE; CLRED TO LAND...ACFT X CLRED FOR TKOF; TFC 5 MI FINAL.' WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE TKOF CLRNC AND ASK TO CONFIRM; 'IS THE TFC LINED WITH CTRLINE OR 3 MI E IN OUR FLT PATH?' TWR RESPONDS; 'TFC WILL BE 3 MI E OF CTRLINE.' I RESPOND TO TWR THAT WE 'ARE IMMEDIATELY VACATING THE RWY (RWY 33).' WE TAXIED CLR INTO THE RUN-UP AREA WHEN ANOTHER CTLR CAME ON THE RADIO AND ADVISED US THAT THERE WAS A MISCOM AND TO CONTINUE TO HOLD SHORT. MY FO AND I RECOGNIZED THAT THIS WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHERE THE WRONG INSTRUCTION WAS GIVEN AND IF WE HAD NOT BEEN ALERT AND LAUNCHED; THE OTHER ACFT WOULD HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY IN OUR FLT PATH IN THE NARROW VALLEY. THE ATMOSPHERE WAS RUSHED TO GET ACFT OFF THE GND IN TIME FOR ARRS. WE CONTINUED TO HOLD SHORT UNTIL BOTH ACFT WERE CLR OF RWY ON GND AND THEN TOOK OFF FOR DENVER. I FEEL IT IS UNSAFE TO HOLD PLANES IN POS FOR OPPOSITE ARRS IN ORDER TO HAVE THEM PASS WITHIN 2-3 MI OF EACH OTHER IN A TIGHT VALLEY WITH HIGH TERRAIN. ATC WILL NOT ALLOW ACFT TO FOLLOW INSIDE 4 MI OF EACH OTHER IN WIDE OPEN VISUAL APCHS. THIS IS A RECIPE FOR A DISASTER. I WILL NO LONGER ACCEPT THIS FROM ASPEN AND SHALL HOLD UNTIL THE N VALLEY IS CLR OF ARRIVING ACFT.

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.