Narrative:

Air carrier X received ATC instructions to 'follow the red line and cross runway 12L and 17; hold short of runway 12R.' I taxied the aircraft to comply with those instructions. While holding short of runway 12R, hobby tower asked if we were clear of the runway. After verifying clear of runway 12R, hobby asked if we were behind the runway 12R hold line, or 'have you crossed it?' the first officer responded, 'I guess we have.' hobby tower then ordered air carrier Y on 2-3 mi final to go around. There were several possibilities for the confusion: 1) the ground and local control positions were combined even though a supervisor was on duty and able to man a position. The traffic at the time was a combination of GA and air carrier at a moderate level. 2) because of the traffic load, the controller was rushed in his communications and under a great deal of stress. While holding short of 12L and accomplishing other cockpit duties, we did not completely hear the first clearance to cross 12L. The controller hurriedly made a second call, which the first officer had a hard time hearing due to a headset problem. 3) normally, I do not taxi beyond hold ILS lines. In this instance, there was only 1 hold line between 17 and 12R. We did not observe any markings that would indicates its dual usage. We stopped well clear of 12R. 4) large airlines, such as ours, operate to hundreds of cities. It is essential that taxiway marking be prominent and standardized to accommodate pilots who are low on experience at individual airports. This was my second operation at hobby. I feel that though the tower thought there was a conflict, it is strange the captain of air carrier Y, who was in the best position to make a decision, never requested a go around. Callback conversation with FAA tower supervisor revealed the following: FAA tower supervisor stated the hold line for runway 12R is standard and in good condition. He also stated there is a hold sign at the hold point next to the taxiway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X NON ADHERENCE TO ATC INSTRUCTIONS. CROSSED RWY HOLD LINE. UNAUTH RWY ENTRY.

Narrative: ACR X RECEIVED ATC INSTRUCTIONS TO 'FOLLOW THE RED LINE AND CROSS RWY 12L AND 17; HOLD SHORT OF RWY 12R.' I TAXIED THE ACFT TO COMPLY WITH THOSE INSTRUCTIONS. WHILE HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 12R, HOBBY TWR ASKED IF WE WERE CLR OF THE RWY. AFTER VERIFYING CLR OF RWY 12R, HOBBY ASKED IF WE WERE BEHIND THE RWY 12R HOLD LINE, OR 'HAVE YOU CROSSED IT?' THE F/O RESPONDED, 'I GUESS WE HAVE.' HOBBY TWR THEN ORDERED ACR Y ON 2-3 MI FINAL TO GO AROUND. THERE WERE SEVERAL POSSIBILITIES FOR THE CONFUSION: 1) THE GND AND LCL CTL POSITIONS WERE COMBINED EVEN THOUGH A SUPVR WAS ON DUTY AND ABLE TO MAN A POS. THE TFC AT THE TIME WAS A COMBINATION OF GA AND ACR AT A MODERATE LEVEL. 2) BECAUSE OF THE TFC LOAD, THE CTLR WAS RUSHED IN HIS COMS AND UNDER A GREAT DEAL OF STRESS. WHILE HOLDING SHORT OF 12L AND ACCOMPLISHING OTHER COCKPIT DUTIES, WE DID NOT COMPLETELY HEAR THE FIRST CLRNC TO CROSS 12L. THE CTLR HURRIEDLY MADE A SECOND CALL, WHICH THE F/O HAD A HARD TIME HEARING DUE TO A HEADSET PROB. 3) NORMALLY, I DO NOT TAXI BEYOND HOLD ILS LINES. IN THIS INSTANCE, THERE WAS ONLY 1 HOLD LINE BTWN 17 AND 12R. WE DID NOT OBSERVE ANY MARKINGS THAT WOULD INDICATES ITS DUAL USAGE. WE STOPPED WELL CLR OF 12R. 4) LARGE AIRLINES, SUCH AS OURS, OPERATE TO HUNDREDS OF CITIES. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT TXWY MARKING BE PROMINENT AND STANDARDIZED TO ACCOMMODATE PLTS WHO ARE LOW ON EXPERIENCE AT INDIVIDUAL ARPTS. THIS WAS MY SECOND OPERATION AT HOBBY. I FEEL THAT THOUGH THE TWR THOUGHT THERE WAS A CONFLICT, IT IS STRANGE THE CAPT OF ACR Y, WHO WAS IN THE BEST POS TO MAKE A DECISION, NEVER REQUESTED A GAR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH FAA TWR SUPVR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: FAA TWR SUPVR STATED THE HOLD LINE FOR RWY 12R IS STANDARD AND IN GOOD CONDITION. HE ALSO STATED THERE IS A HOLD SIGN AT THE HOLD POINT NEXT TO THE TXWY.

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.