Narrative:

We were cleared for takeoff on runway 4R at dtw (clearance to takeoff and turn to a heading of 020 degrees). As we started to roll toward the runway; we noticed an air carrier Y aircraft on final. The first officer questioned if it was coming to our runway; so we stopped prior to taking the runway but after crossing the ILS line; the air carrier Y called tower and said 'we are clear to land on runway 4R; right?' after a long pause; the tower directed air carrier Y to go around and stated 'I have an alert; go around; and I don't know why.' we held short of the threshold line and informed tower that we were now holding short. After air carrier Y had initiated its missed approach; the tower said 'air carrier X; you are cleared for takeoff again; fly heading 020 degrees.' the things that prevented a serious accident were the fact that both aircraft crews were watching and questioning the apparent conflict of clrncs. We took action by stopping short of the runway and air carrier Y took action by going around. Supplemental information from acn 810081: I asked captain 'hey; is he for the left?' I then heard an air carrier Y aircraft ask to confirm landing clearance for runway 4R. I yelled out 'stop! Stop!' in the cockpit. Captain then brought the aircraft to an abrupt halt short of runway 4R but past the hold short bars. We then performed a normal takeoff while air carrier Y performed a missed approach. Traffic appeared light.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-800 FLIGHT CREW DEPARTING DTW NOTICES AN AIRCRAFT ON FINAL AND DELAYS IN TAKING THE RUNWAY BECAUSE OF CONFLICTING TRAFFIC ON APPROACH TO THE SAME RUNWAY.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 4R AT DTW (CLRNC TO TKOF AND TURN TO A HDG OF 020 DEGS). AS WE STARTED TO ROLL TOWARD THE RWY; WE NOTICED AN ACR Y ACFT ON FINAL. THE FO QUESTIONED IF IT WAS COMING TO OUR RWY; SO WE STOPPED PRIOR TO TAKING THE RWY BUT AFTER XING THE ILS LINE; THE ACR Y CALLED TWR AND SAID 'WE ARE CLR TO LAND ON RWY 4R; RIGHT?' AFTER A LONG PAUSE; THE TWR DIRECTED ACR Y TO GO AROUND AND STATED 'I HAVE AN ALERT; GO AROUND; AND I DON'T KNOW WHY.' WE HELD SHORT OF THE THRESHOLD LINE AND INFORMED TWR THAT WE WERE NOW HOLDING SHORT. AFTER ACR Y HAD INITIATED ITS MISSED APCH; THE TWR SAID 'ACR X; YOU ARE CLRED FOR TKOF AGAIN; FLY HDG 020 DEGS.' THE THINGS THAT PREVENTED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WERE THE FACT THAT BOTH ACFT CREWS WERE WATCHING AND QUESTIONING THE APPARENT CONFLICT OF CLRNCS. WE TOOK ACTION BY STOPPING SHORT OF THE RWY AND ACR Y TOOK ACTION BY GOING AROUND. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 810081: I ASKED CAPT 'HEY; IS HE FOR THE LEFT?' I THEN HEARD AN ACR Y ACFT ASK TO CONFIRM LNDG CLRNC FOR RWY 4R. I YELLED OUT 'STOP! STOP!' IN THE COCKPIT. CAPT THEN BROUGHT THE ACFT TO AN ABRUPT HALT SHORT OF RWY 4R BUT PAST THE HOLD SHORT BARS. WE THEN PERFORMED A NORMAL TKOF WHILE ACR Y PERFORMED A MISSED APCH. TFC APPEARED LIGHT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.