Narrative:

Our instructions were to taxi to runway 9L via the inner and to use caution for an air carrier a jet pushing back on the other side of the terminal. I responded with a readback of the clearance. During our taxi it is common procedure to do the 'before takeoff checklist.' upon reaching the other side of the terminal, we found 2 air carrier Z jets, the first a widebody transport and the second an large transport. I questioned the controller as to which aircraft he had referred. We were told to disregard the large transport and follow behind the widebody transport. I responded with, 'roger, we'll follow the widebody transport,' and continued with the checklist. The air carrier a widebody transport then turned and taxied across runway 12-30. As we approached the runway, we commented to each other that we had not been told to hold short of the runway 12-30. We both carefully checked in both directions before and as we taxied across. Upon reaching the other side of the runway, we noted an air carrier B jet crossing the taxiway ahead, between us and the widebody transport. We realized a possible mistake might have been made by either us or the controller. Although we had had no conflict with any aircraft, we brought the aircraft to a stop and questioned the ground controller. His response was, 'flash you lights at me so I can see where you are.' the controller then instructed us to proceed with our taxi, but to now follow the air carrier C heavy transport ahead to runway 9R. The controller questioned us about what had happened and we responded that we understood we were to follow the air carrier a widebody transport. He then said that everything was ok and no one had complained. Better communication was needed all around. The captain only had approximately 20 hours on line in the left seat.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF COMMUTER CROSSING RWY WITHOUT CLRNC OBSERVED OTHER GND TRAFFIC. FLT CREW STOPPED TAXI UNTIL TWR REASSURED THEM THERE WAS NO PROBLEM.

Narrative: OUR INSTRUCTIONS WERE TO TAXI TO RWY 9L VIA THE INNER AND TO USE CAUTION FOR AN ACR A JET PUSHING BACK ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TERMINAL. I RESPONDED WITH A READBACK OF THE CLRNC. DURING OUR TAXI IT IS COMMON PROC TO DO THE 'BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST.' UPON REACHING THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TERMINAL, WE FOUND 2 ACR Z JETS, THE FIRST A WDB AND THE SECOND AN LGT. I QUESTIONED THE CTLR AS TO WHICH ACFT HE HAD REFERRED. WE WERE TOLD TO DISREGARD THE LGT AND FOLLOW BEHIND THE WDB. I RESPONDED WITH, 'ROGER, WE'LL FOLLOW THE WDB,' AND CONTINUED WITH THE CHKLIST. THE ACR A WDB THEN TURNED AND TAXIED ACROSS RWY 12-30. AS WE APCHED THE RWY, WE COMMENTED TO EACH OTHER THAT WE HAD NOT BEEN TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF THE RWY 12-30. WE BOTH CAREFULLY CHKED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS BEFORE AND AS WE TAXIED ACROSS. UPON REACHING THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RWY, WE NOTED AN ACR B JET XING THE TXWY AHEAD, BTWN US AND THE WDB. WE REALIZED A POSSIBLE MISTAKE MIGHT HAVE BEEN MADE BY EITHER US OR THE CTLR. ALTHOUGH WE HAD HAD NO CONFLICT WITH ANY ACFT, WE BROUGHT THE ACFT TO A STOP AND QUESTIONED THE GND CTLR. HIS RESPONSE WAS, 'FLASH YOU LIGHTS AT ME SO I CAN SEE WHERE YOU ARE.' THE CTLR THEN INSTRUCTED US TO PROCEED WITH OUR TAXI, BUT TO NOW FOLLOW THE ACR C HVT AHEAD TO RWY 9R. THE CTLR QUESTIONED US ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND WE RESPONDED THAT WE UNDERSTOOD WE WERE TO FOLLOW THE ACR A WDB. HE THEN SAID THAT EVERYTHING WAS OK AND NO ONE HAD COMPLAINED. BETTER COM WAS NEEDED ALL AROUND. THE CAPT ONLY HAD APPROX 20 HRS ON LINE IN THE LEFT SEAT.

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.