Air carrier described a runway incursion event resulting in an ATC directed aborted takeoff clearanc...

Narrative:

We were taxiing slowly off of the ramp on taxiway U and received at ATC clearance from phl tower. The tower clearance was: 'air carrier X taxi straight ahead; cross runway 27L hold short south side of sierra'. The first officer read back the clearance to tower and there was no correction to his read back transmission. Both of us heard a runway crossing clearance although it was using non-standard ATC phraseology. We did not ask for a clarification as we felt we both knew what we were cleared to do. At this time; I checked the cdti and saw an air carrier that was holding on the runway. I noted that the air carrier did not have his lights on for takeoff at this time. There was another radio call that may have distracted us from hearing a takeoff clearance for the other air carrier; but we never heard a takeoff clearance for that air carrier on 27L. Prior to crossing 27L; we then heard phl tower tell the other air carrier to 'cancel takeoff clearance'; and then he notified us that we were not cleared to cross the runway. We immediately stopped and then tower told us to continue to cross the runway. We told them that we heard our clearance as 'taxi straight ahead; cross runway 27L hold short south side of sierra'. This was non-standard; but that is what we tried to mimic. In hindsight; we should have queried the tower controller because the clearance did seem non-standard but both of us felt that we did understand what he said.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air Carrier described a runway incursion event resulting in an ATC directed aborted takeoff clearance; the reporter indicating confusion with ATC's clearance.

Narrative: We were taxiing slowly off of the ramp on Taxiway U and received at ATC clearance from PHL Tower. The Tower clearance was: 'Air Carrier X taxi straight ahead; cross Runway 27L hold short south side of Sierra'. The First Officer read back the clearance to Tower and there was no correction to his read back transmission. Both of us heard a runway crossing clearance although it was using non-standard ATC phraseology. We did not ask for a clarification as we felt we both knew what we were cleared to do. At this time; I checked the CDTI and saw an Air Carrier that was holding on the runway. I noted that the Air Carrier did not have his lights on for takeoff at this time. There was another radio call that may have distracted us from hearing a takeoff clearance for the other Air Carrier; but we never heard a takeoff clearance for that Air Carrier on 27L. Prior to crossing 27L; we then heard PHL Tower tell the other Air Carrier to 'cancel takeoff clearance'; and then he notified us that we were not cleared to cross the runway. We immediately stopped and then Tower told us to continue to cross the runway. We told them that we heard our clearance as 'taxi straight ahead; cross Runway 27L hold short south side of Sierra'. This was non-standard; but that is what we tried to mimic. In hindsight; we should have queried the Tower Controller because the clearance did seem non-standard but both of us felt that we did understand what he said.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.

Attributes
ACN	1076347
Time
Date	201303
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	PHL.Airport
State Reference	PA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Taxi
Route In Use	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Takeoff
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30 Flight Crew Total 4400 Flight Crew Type 1800
Person 2
Function	First Officer Pilot Not Flying
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50 Flight Crew Total 7500 Flight Crew Type 600
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Conflict Ground Conflict Less Severe Ground Incursion Runway

Air carrier described a runway incursion event resulting in an ATC directed aborted takeoff clearance; the reporter indicating confusion with ATC's clearance.