Misinterpretation between controller and pilot concerning holding after landing.

Attributes
ACN	139887
Time
Date	199003
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	ground : holding
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	139887
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On short final for runway 22 at bwi tower asked if we could hold short of runway 33. On rollout I advised tower, 'air carrier X can't hold short,' because it was dark, and I couldn't tell where the intersection was. Tower cleared someone into position on runway 28, and we stopped about 15' short of that runway. Tower then shouted 'air carrier X, are you holding short of the runway?' I told him that we were, and we taxied off. There was no runway incursion, but we never promised to hold short anyway. If there were VASI lights for runway 22, that might be a more reasonable request at night.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MISINTERPRETATION BETWEEN CTLR AND PLT CONCERNING HOLDING AFTER LNDG.

Narrative: ON SHORT FINAL FOR RWY 22 AT BWI TWR ASKED IF WE COULD HOLD SHORT OF RWY 33. ON ROLLOUT I ADVISED TWR, 'ACR X CAN'T HOLD SHORT,' BECAUSE IT WAS DARK, AND I COULDN'T TELL WHERE THE INTXN WAS. TWR CLRED SOMEONE INTO POS ON RWY 28, AND WE STOPPED ABOUT 15' SHORT OF THAT RWY. TWR THEN SHOUTED 'ACR X, ARE YOU HOLDING SHORT OF THE RWY?' I TOLD HIM THAT WE WERE, AND WE TAXIED OFF. THERE WAS NO RWY INCURSION, BUT WE NEVER PROMISED TO HOLD SHORT ANYWAY. IF THERE WERE VASI LIGHTS FOR RWY 22, THAT MIGHT BE A MORE REASONABLE REQUEST AT NIGHT.

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