Narrative:

The following sequence of events arose out of a misunderstanding between cle tower and air carrier flight xx. Both the first officer and I understood and believe we read back the following clearance from cle tower, 'xx cross runway 23L, taxi into position and hold, runway 23R'. To get to runway 23R, we had to use taxiway T, instead of Z, because runway 23L was being painted at the intersection of wy 28 and runway 23L. Consulting XXXX page xa, feb/wed/89, it is obvious that we had to taxi down runway 28 to get to runway 23R, after leaving taxiway T. If we were given 'hold short of runway 23R', it is a technically incorrect clearance because 'hold lines' are not painted on active runways. I then proceeded from taxiway T, across 23L, down runway 28K and onto runway 23R. Checking the final approach as I took the runway, I noticed a single engine light aircraft on about a 3 mi final. I commented to the first officer about that aircraft, instructing him to ask the tower which runway the light aircraft was using. Before the first officer could transmit that question, the tower spoke, telling us to hold short of 23R. We then told the tower we understood we had been cleared onto 23R, but would exit immediately, which we did. The tower again said that we had not been cleared onto 23R but had been told to hold short. The tower then instructed the light aircraft to execute a missed approach, which he did. As the light aircraft made his missed approach we were cleared back onto runway 23R and were subsequently cleared for takeoff.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW TAXIED INTO POSITION ON TKOF RWY POSSIBLY WITHOUT ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: THE FOLLOWING SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AROSE OUT OF A MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN CLE TWR AND ACR FLT XX. BOTH THE F/O AND I UNDERSTOOD AND BELIEVE WE READ BACK THE FOLLOWING CLRNC FROM CLE TWR, 'XX CROSS RWY 23L, TAXI INTO POSITION AND HOLD, RWY 23R'. TO GET TO RWY 23R, WE HAD TO USE TXWY T, INSTEAD OF Z, BECAUSE RWY 23L WAS BEING PAINTED AT THE INTXN OF WY 28 AND RWY 23L. CONSULTING XXXX PAGE XA, FEB/WED/89, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT WE HAD TO TAXI DOWN RWY 28 TO GET TO RWY 23R, AFTER LEAVING TXWY T. IF WE WERE GIVEN 'HOLD SHORT OF RWY 23R', IT IS A TECHNICALLY INCORRECT CLRNC BECAUSE 'HOLD LINES' ARE NOT PAINTED ON ACTIVE RWYS. I THEN PROCEEDED FROM TXWY T, ACROSS 23L, DOWN RWY 28K AND ONTO RWY 23R. CHECKING THE FINAL APCH AS I TOOK THE RWY, I NOTICED A SINGLE ENGINE LIGHT ACFT ON ABOUT A 3 MI FINAL. I COMMENTED TO THE F/O ABOUT THAT ACFT, INSTRUCTING HIM TO ASK THE TWR WHICH RWY THE LIGHT ACFT WAS USING. BEFORE THE F/O COULD XMIT THAT QUESTION, THE TWR SPOKE, TELLING US TO HOLD SHORT OF 23R. WE THEN TOLD THE TWR WE UNDERSTOOD WE HAD BEEN CLRED ONTO 23R, BUT WOULD EXIT IMMEDIATELY, WHICH WE DID. THE TWR AGAIN SAID THAT WE HAD NOT BEEN CLRED ONTO 23R BUT HAD BEEN TOLD TO HOLD SHORT. THE TWR THEN INSTRUCTED THE LIGHT ACFT TO EXECUTE A MISSED APCH, WHICH HE DID. AS THE LIGHT ACFT MADE HIS MISSED APCH WE WERE CLRED BACK ONTO RWY 23R AND WERE SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED FOR TKOF.

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.