Narrative:

Runways 4L and 4R were being used for takeoff and landing. Our aircraft widebody transport was taxiing for takeoff. We were holding short of taxiway echo on the outer taxiway when the ground controller cleared us to cross runway 4L at echo, and after crossing 4L to turn right on papa taxiway. We checked the runway for traffic before crossing the hold short line. We saw that there was an aircraft in position on runway 4L. The first officer noted out loud, 'he's not moving.' as we crossed the hold short line the aircraft that was in position on 4L began its takeoff roll. The first officer then stated something to the effect of, 'stop,' or, 'hold it, he's moving.' at that time the captain immediately stopped the aircraft. We observed the takeoff of the light transport jet. Ground controller frequency was busy as another aircraft (it appeared to be an large transport) taxied into position on runway 41. It appeared to us that the ground controller and the tower controller were no communicating properly. Seeing that there was another aircraft (with its landing lights on) in position for takeoff, the captain switched to the tower control frequency to be in direct communications with the tower. When the captain called the tower the tower controller berated us for being on his frequency, and told us to return to ground control. The captain then contacted ground control and confirmed our clearance to cross runway 4L. We crossed 4L. The ground controller did not appear to realize what had just happened (reference to the conflict with the departing traffic). We then went over to the tower control frequency. The captain then tried to explain the situation to the tower controller. The tower controller made a few unprofessional remarks, and indicated to us that he was not interested in what we had to say.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC CLRNC TO CROSS RWY WITH ACFT ON TKOF.

Narrative: RWYS 4L AND 4R WERE BEING USED FOR TKOF AND LNDG. OUR ACFT WDB WAS TAXIING FOR TKOF. WE WERE HOLDING SHORT OF TXWY ECHO ON THE OUTER TXWY WHEN THE GND CTLR CLRED US TO CROSS RWY 4L AT ECHO, AND AFTER XING 4L TO TURN RIGHT ON PAPA TXWY. WE CHKED THE RWY FOR TFC BEFORE XING THE HOLD SHORT LINE. WE SAW THAT THERE WAS AN ACFT IN POS ON RWY 4L. THE F/O NOTED OUT LOUD, 'HE'S NOT MOVING.' AS WE CROSSED THE HOLD SHORT LINE THE ACFT THAT WAS IN POS ON 4L BEGAN ITS TKOF ROLL. THE F/O THEN STATED SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF, 'STOP,' OR, 'HOLD IT, HE'S MOVING.' AT THAT TIME THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE ACFT. WE OBSERVED THE TKOF OF THE LTT JET. GND CTLR FREQ WAS BUSY AS ANOTHER ACFT (IT APPEARED TO BE AN LGT) TAXIED INTO POS ON RWY 41. IT APPEARED TO US THAT THE GND CTLR AND THE TWR CTLR WERE NO COMMUNICATING PROPERLY. SEEING THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT (WITH ITS LNDG LIGHTS ON) IN POS FOR TKOF, THE CAPT SWITCHED TO THE TWR CTL FREQ TO BE IN DIRECT COMS WITH THE TWR. WHEN THE CAPT CALLED THE TWR THE TWR CTLR BERATED US FOR BEING ON HIS FREQ, AND TOLD US TO RETURN TO GND CTL. THE CAPT THEN CONTACTED GND CTL AND CONFIRMED OUR CLRNC TO CROSS RWY 4L. WE CROSSED 4L. THE GND CTLR DID NOT APPEAR TO REALIZE WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED (REF TO THE CONFLICT WITH THE DEPARTING TFC). WE THEN WENT OVER TO THE TWR CTL FREQ. THE CAPT THEN TRIED TO EXPLAIN THE SITUATION TO THE TWR CTLR. THE TWR CTLR MADE A FEW UNPROFESSIONAL REMARKS, AND INDICATED TO US THAT HE WAS NOT INTERESTED IN WHAT WE HAD TO SAY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.