Narrative:

Upon approaching intersection 36 on uniform and 24L at lax, we called tower 133.9 and said, 'air carrier X at intersection 36 and 24L ready for departure.' lax tower replied, 'roger, air carrier X cleared into position and hold 24L, traffic crossing downwfield.' at this time we proceeded to enter the runway area at intersection 36. Upon holding for about 30 seconds I asked lax tower how long we could expect to hold. At this time he informed me that it had been his intention to have us taxi full length and then be placed in position and hold. We acknowledged the misunderstanding and were cleared for takeoff shortly thereafter. The misunderstanding would not have arose if the tower was always required to say either, 'position and hold full length,' or, 'position and hold at intersection 36.' saying cleared into position and hold 24L leaves room for error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR TAXIED INTO POSITION ON RWY AT INTXN INSTEAD OF END OF RWY DUE TO MISUNDERSTANDING.

Narrative: UPON APCHING INTXN 36 ON UNIFORM AND 24L AT LAX, WE CALLED TWR 133.9 AND SAID, 'ACR X AT INTXN 36 AND 24L READY FOR DEP.' LAX TWR REPLIED, 'ROGER, ACR X CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD 24L, TFC XING DOWNWFIELD.' AT THIS TIME WE PROCEEDED TO ENTER THE RWY AREA AT INTXN 36. UPON HOLDING FOR ABOUT 30 SECS I ASKED LAX TWR HOW LONG WE COULD EXPECT TO HOLD. AT THIS TIME HE INFORMED ME THAT IT HAD BEEN HIS INTENTION TO HAVE US TAXI FULL LENGTH AND THEN BE PLACED IN POS AND HOLD. WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE MISUNDERSTANDING AND WERE CLRED FOR TKOF SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE MISUNDERSTANDING WOULD NOT HAVE AROSE IF THE TWR WAS ALWAYS REQUIRED TO SAY EITHER, 'POS AND HOLD FULL LENGTH,' OR, 'POS AND HOLD AT INTXN 36.' SAYING CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD 24L LEAVES ROOM FOR ERROR.

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.