Narrative:

Ramp control was not open so phl ground control gave us push back clearance; taxi clearance and clearance onto the runway 27L from the ground control frequency. Phl ground asked if we were ready for takeoff as we neared runway 27L. We said we would be a few minutes. When we were ready I asked the fist officer (first officer) to let tower know. The first officer said he was waiting for the frequency to clear. I said I heard nothing on the frequency. The first officer adjusted his communication panel and called saying we were ready for departure. Later I discovered he had been hearing ramp on the #2 radio as we both listened to ATC on the #1 radio. ATC should not give a tower frequency instruction on the ground frequency. If ATC gives a tower instruction from ground frequency they should also broadcast on both tower and ground to complete the takeoff instructions. We were given a clearance to line-up and wait on runway 27L. After the first officer and I verbally stated the runway was clear both directions we taxied onto runway 27L and held with the brakes on. After a short time holding on the runway we received a call from ground control to switch to the tower frequency. By the time I looked down the first officer had already switched to tower frequency. When we switched we could hear the tower giving an aircraft cleared to land on runway 27L go-around instructions. The first officer should have confirmed the tower frequency was being used before entering the runway.the first officer is new the aircraft and was a little task-loaded to get through the checklists as we were number 1 for takeoff (no delays waiting for other aircraft to give more time). I did not realize we were not on tower frequency when were cleared onto the runway as I was taxing and actively looking for traffic. ATC should not have cleared us onto the runway using the ground control frequency.switching from #2 to #1 radio going from ramp to ATC is a new policy change. I believe this contributed to creating the error that occurred as the first officer had called ramp a few times before switching to ground for a push back clearance and was still listening to the ramp frequency assuming it was ATC when we let ATC know we were ready for takeoff. I should have confirmed the tower frequency was being used before entering the runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air Carrier flight crew reported causing a runway incursion because they didn't switch from Ground frequency to Tower before pulling onto the runway.

Narrative: Ramp control was not open so PHL ground control gave us push back clearance; taxi clearance and clearance onto the runway 27L from the ground control frequency. PHL ground asked if we were ready for takeoff as we neared runway 27L. We said we would be a few minutes. When we were ready I asked the Fist Officer (FO) to let tower know. The FO said he was waiting for the frequency to clear. I said I heard nothing on the frequency. The FO adjusted his communication panel and called saying we were ready for departure. Later I discovered he had been hearing ramp on the #2 radio as we both listened to ATC on the #1 radio. ATC should not give a tower frequency instruction on the ground frequency. If ATC gives a tower instruction from ground frequency they should also broadcast on both tower and ground to complete the takeoff instructions. We were given a clearance to line-up and wait on runway 27L. After the FO and I verbally stated the runway was clear both directions we taxied onto runway 27L and held with the brakes on. After a short time holding on the runway we received a call from ground control to switch to the tower frequency. By the time I looked down the FO had already switched to tower frequency. When we switched we could hear the tower giving an aircraft cleared to land on runway 27L go-around instructions. The FO should have confirmed the tower frequency was being used before entering the runway.The FO is new the aircraft and was a little task-loaded to get through the checklists as we were number 1 for takeoff (no delays waiting for other aircraft to give more time). I did not realize we were not on tower frequency when were cleared onto the runway as I was taxing and actively looking for traffic. ATC should not have cleared us onto the runway using the ground control frequency.Switching from #2 to #1 radio going from ramp to ATC is a new policy change. I believe this contributed to creating the error that occurred as the FO had called ramp a few times before switching to ground for a push back clearance and was still listening to the ramp frequency assuming it was ATC when we let ATC know we were ready for takeoff. I should have confirmed the tower frequency was being used before entering the runway.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.