Narrative:

We were cleared into position on runway 4L. While still moving into position; we received takeoff clearance; and were told that traffic is '1.5 mi out.' we pushed the power up and had just started to roll when the tower called for an air carrier Y (don't remember the whole call sign) abort takeoff. That aircraft came back and said that they were already airborne. Tower then again said to abort takeoff (no call sign given). I called back and asked quickly if that was for air carrier X. Only reply was 'abort takeoff;' followed quickly by the tower continuing; '(call sign) go around.' because of the confusion I immediately aborted; no more than 30 KTS. I had not crossed runway 9L yet; and looked up and saw an rj on the go no more than 200 ft high. Tower told us to turn right on runway 9L; right again onto taxiway B back to taxiway east for runway 4L again. We were cleared into position and a non eventful takeoff. Tower seemed in a rush to get aircraft off the ground. That left us with little spacing on landing aircraft. I was unable to see the arriving aircraft prior to taking the runway. If I had not aborted when I did we would have entered runway 9L and the aircraft going around would have flown over us probably less than 200-300 ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 DEPARTING FROM RWY 4L AT ORD INITIATED ABORT AFTER TWR INSTRUCTIONS WERE CONFUSING; OBSERVING A CLOSELY SPACED GAR ON RWY 9L.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED INTO POS ON RWY 4L. WHILE STILL MOVING INTO POS; WE RECEIVED TKOF CLRNC; AND WERE TOLD THAT TFC IS '1.5 MI OUT.' WE PUSHED THE PWR UP AND HAD JUST STARTED TO ROLL WHEN THE TWR CALLED FOR AN ACR Y (DON'T REMEMBER THE WHOLE CALL SIGN) ABORT TKOF. THAT ACFT CAME BACK AND SAID THAT THEY WERE ALREADY AIRBORNE. TWR THEN AGAIN SAID TO ABORT TKOF (NO CALL SIGN GIVEN). I CALLED BACK AND ASKED QUICKLY IF THAT WAS FOR ACR X. ONLY REPLY WAS 'ABORT TKOF;' FOLLOWED QUICKLY BY THE TWR CONTINUING; '(CALL SIGN) GAR.' BECAUSE OF THE CONFUSION I IMMEDIATELY ABORTED; NO MORE THAN 30 KTS. I HAD NOT CROSSED RWY 9L YET; AND LOOKED UP AND SAW AN RJ ON THE GO NO MORE THAN 200 FT HIGH. TWR TOLD US TO TURN R ON RWY 9L; R AGAIN ONTO TXWY B BACK TO TXWY E FOR RWY 4L AGAIN. WE WERE CLRED INTO POS AND A NON EVENTFUL TKOF. TWR SEEMED IN A RUSH TO GET ACFT OFF THE GND. THAT LEFT US WITH LITTLE SPACING ON LNDG ACFT. I WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE ARRIVING ACFT PRIOR TO TAKING THE RWY. IF I HAD NOT ABORTED WHEN I DID WE WOULD HAVE ENTERED RWY 9L AND THE ACFT GOING AROUND WOULD HAVE FLOWN OVER US PROBABLY LESS THAN 200-300 FT.

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.