Narrative:

Tower cleared us for takeoff. We had been holding short. I applied normal power and we made the turn and completed all checklist items and executed a normal rolling takeoff. At takeoff power; around 60 KTS; tower called and asked; 'xx XXXX can you turn off of the runway?' at this call; I pulled the power back; wondering whether we had inadvertently begun the takeoff roll without clearance and in conflict with landing traffic. Tower then sent the landing aircraft around; then told us to continue. Instead; I turned off the runway as we'd used up a significant part of the available runway and had power at idle. I called tower once we were clear and said; 'confirm xx XXXX was cleared for takeoff.' tower confirmed we were cleared; but were too slow so he was asking us to exit the runway. I expect to hear only 2 things on the runway: either 'cleared for takeoff' or 'cancel takeoff clearance; taxi off the runway.' 'can you turn off the runway?' is confusing; ambiguous and hazardous to normal decision-making at full power during takeoff roll. 'Abort' would have made sense; but with takeoff clearance; I wouldn't expect to be told to abort and clear the runway for a landing aircraft. We re-entered the takeoff line-up and the exact same thing happened. We were cleared for takeoff; executed a rolling takeoff and the tower said once again; when we were at full power and rolling through 60 KTS; 'xx XXXX; you're too slow; can you turn off of the runway?' I told the first officer to not answer the call and to continue unless we were instructed to abort. This clt incident -- repeated a second time -- is dangerous; nonstandard; and fruitful ground for a runway excursion or worse. I do not understand how a tower controller can issue such requests at a crucial time; plus; I question his basic operating premises if aircraft in position and rolling can be expected to exit the runway during takeoff roll if separation with a landing aircraft becomes insufficient. That this happened twice is very disturbing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 DEP FROM CLT IS REQUESTED TO 'TURN OFF THE RWY' TWICE BECAUSE OF ARR SPACING; TWR SUGGESTING FLT CREW'S TKOF ACTIONS WERE TOO SLOW.

Narrative: TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF. WE HAD BEEN HOLDING SHORT. I APPLIED NORMAL PWR AND WE MADE THE TURN AND COMPLETED ALL CHKLIST ITEMS AND EXECUTED A NORMAL ROLLING TKOF. AT TKOF PWR; AROUND 60 KTS; TWR CALLED AND ASKED; 'XX XXXX CAN YOU TURN OFF OF THE RWY?' AT THIS CALL; I PULLED THE PWR BACK; WONDERING WHETHER WE HAD INADVERTENTLY BEGUN THE TKOF ROLL WITHOUT CLRNC AND IN CONFLICT WITH LNDG TFC. TWR THEN SENT THE LNDG ACFT AROUND; THEN TOLD US TO CONTINUE. INSTEAD; I TURNED OFF THE RWY AS WE'D USED UP A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE AVAILABLE RWY AND HAD PWR AT IDLE. I CALLED TWR ONCE WE WERE CLR AND SAID; 'CONFIRM XX XXXX WAS CLRED FOR TKOF.' TWR CONFIRMED WE WERE CLRED; BUT WERE TOO SLOW SO HE WAS ASKING US TO EXIT THE RWY. I EXPECT TO HEAR ONLY 2 THINGS ON THE RWY: EITHER 'CLRED FOR TKOF' OR 'CANCEL TKOF CLRNC; TAXI OFF THE RWY.' 'CAN YOU TURN OFF THE RWY?' IS CONFUSING; AMBIGUOUS AND HAZARDOUS TO NORMAL DECISION-MAKING AT FULL PWR DURING TKOF ROLL. 'ABORT' WOULD HAVE MADE SENSE; BUT WITH TKOF CLRNC; I WOULDN'T EXPECT TO BE TOLD TO ABORT AND CLR THE RWY FOR A LNDG ACFT. WE RE-ENTERED THE TKOF LINE-UP AND THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED. WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF; EXECUTED A ROLLING TKOF AND THE TWR SAID ONCE AGAIN; WHEN WE WERE AT FULL PWR AND ROLLING THROUGH 60 KTS; 'XX XXXX; YOU'RE TOO SLOW; CAN YOU TURN OFF OF THE RWY?' I TOLD THE FO TO NOT ANSWER THE CALL AND TO CONTINUE UNLESS WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO ABORT. THIS CLT INCIDENT -- REPEATED A SECOND TIME -- IS DANGEROUS; NONSTANDARD; AND FRUITFUL GROUND FOR A RWY EXCURSION OR WORSE. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW A TWR CTLR CAN ISSUE SUCH REQUESTS AT A CRUCIAL TIME; PLUS; I QUESTION HIS BASIC OPERATING PREMISES IF ACFT IN POS AND ROLLING CAN BE EXPECTED TO EXIT THE RWY DURING TKOF ROLL IF SEPARATION WITH A LNDG ACFT BECOMES INSUFFICIENT. THAT THIS HAPPENED TWICE IS VERY DISTURBING.

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.