Narrative:

After pushback, we received clearance to 'taxi to runway 4R via bravo, hold short of 4L'. While taxiing out, a good distance behind a widebody transport, we were accomplishing the 'before takeoff checklist'. As we approached the runway 27 stopway, I noticed a hold line and presumed it was for runway 9 which I was expecting to cross having been told to hold short of 4L. As we approached the hold line, I was looking across the runway 27 overrun, visually scanning taxiway bravo as it curved half left towards runway 4L, trying to see the hold line for runway 4L. As we taxied forward to a point I felt I should be able to see a hold line, and realizing there apparently wasn't one, my attention came back to the hold line we were about to cross. I started slowing as I read the sign, 'all aircraft stop here'. I didn't see any reference to what runway the hold line was for, so I braked to a stop with the nose gear crossing the line, as I was now uncertain about the situation. Just after we stopped, ground control called us and asked if we were aware that we were 15' over the hold line. We discussed it briefly and I explained I was looking for a hold line for 4L as that was what we were cleared to hold short of. I think that when taxiing to runway 4R, if boston ground wants aircraft to hold short of runway 9 on bravo, they should so state it in the instructions. Furthermore, the hold line should have better markings to indicate it is the hold line for runways 9 and 4L.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG TAXIED PAST HOLD LINE FOR RWYS 4 AT BOS.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHBACK, WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO 'TAXI TO RWY 4R VIA BRAVO, HOLD SHORT OF 4L'. WHILE TAXIING OUT, A GOOD DISTANCE BEHIND A WDB, WE WERE ACCOMPLISHING THE 'BEFORE TKOF CHECKLIST'. AS WE APCHED THE RWY 27 STOPWAY, I NOTICED A HOLD LINE AND PRESUMED IT WAS FOR RWY 9 WHICH I WAS EXPECTING TO CROSS HAVING BEEN TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF 4L. AS WE APCHED THE HOLD LINE, I WAS LOOKING ACROSS THE RWY 27 OVERRUN, VISUALLY SCANNING TXWY BRAVO AS IT CURVED HALF LEFT TOWARDS RWY 4L, TRYING TO SEE THE HOLD LINE FOR RWY 4L. AS WE TAXIED FORWARD TO A POINT I FELT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE A HOLD LINE, AND REALIZING THERE APPARENTLY WASN'T ONE, MY ATTN CAME BACK TO THE HOLD LINE WE WERE ABOUT TO CROSS. I STARTED SLOWING AS I READ THE SIGN, 'ALL ACFT STOP HERE'. I DIDN'T SEE ANY REFERENCE TO WHAT RWY THE HOLD LINE WAS FOR, SO I BRAKED TO A STOP WITH THE NOSE GEAR XING THE LINE, AS I WAS NOW UNCERTAIN ABOUT THE SITUATION. JUST AFTER WE STOPPED, GND CTL CALLED US AND ASKED IF WE WERE AWARE THAT WE WERE 15' OVER THE HOLD LINE. WE DISCUSSED IT BRIEFLY AND I EXPLAINED I WAS LOOKING FOR A HOLD LINE FOR 4L AS THAT WAS WHAT WE WERE CLRED TO HOLD SHORT OF. I THINK THAT WHEN TAXIING TO RWY 4R, IF BOSTON GND WANTS ACFT TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 9 ON BRAVO, THEY SHOULD SO STATE IT IN THE INSTRUCTIONS. FURTHERMORE, THE HOLD LINE SHOULD HAVE BETTER MARKINGS TO INDICATE IT IS THE HOLD LINE FOR RWYS 9 AND 4L.

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.