Narrative:

Holding for takeoff. After some delay, we were advised we would be departing runway 12 (not cleared). I then set our equipment for a runway 12 departure. I thought I heard the controller say cleared for takeoff runway 12, please expedite. As I approached the end of the runway, I saw an aircraft on short final and held short of the runway. We did not intrude on the runway. I then asked the first officer to ask the tower which runway we were cleared on. The first officer said it was runway 9L but called anyway and the tower said runway 9L. A different voice then came on and said, 'stop there.' I stopped barely(?) short of the runway. An aircraft landed on runway 9L about 1 1/2 mins later. I called the supervisor later to see what the problem was. He said controller training was in progress. I wonder about a few items. I would like to hear the tapes although to do so would mean pushing it so that somebody will get violated. I think the controller said either, 'cleared for takeoff,' or 'cleared for takeoff runway 12.' an observing pilot (new on the airplane) in the jumpseat said the controller said 'position and hold runway 12.' in a way I suspect the first officer was correct. I was led to believe the takeoff runway would be runway 12. I think the controller should have said 'change departure runway to 9L, cleared for takeoff runway 9L, please expedite.' the first officer said he thought I was going on to runway 9L until I held short of runway 12. The taxi rtes are the same. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter believes that his confusion probably arose because he was originally told to taxi to runway 12. He feels that the local controller should have been more specific about which runway was intended for takeoff when clearance to enter the runway was issued. Reporter feels that simultaneous takeoffs and lndgs on runways 12 and 9L are confusing and that the controller was trying to space traffic too tightly. Callback conducted as part of a structured callback on runway incursions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF WDB DEPARTING MIA TAXIES TO THE END OF RWY 9L AND 12. WHEN CLEARED FOR TKOF HE TAXIES TOWARD RWY 12 BUT SEES AN ACFT ON SHORT FINAL SO HE HOLDS TO GET CLARIFICATION. NEITHER THE FLT CREW MEMBERS NOR THE CTLR SEEM SURE OF PROPER OR INTENDED TKOF RWY.

Narrative: HOLDING FOR TKOF. AFTER SOME DELAY, WE WERE ADVISED WE WOULD BE DEPARTING RWY 12 (NOT CLRED). I THEN SET OUR EQUIP FOR A RWY 12 DEP. I THOUGHT I HEARD THE CTLR SAY CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 12, PLEASE EXPEDITE. AS I APCHED THE END OF THE RWY, I SAW AN ACFT ON SHORT FINAL AND HELD SHORT OF THE RWY. WE DID NOT INTRUDE ON THE RWY. I THEN ASKED THE F/O TO ASK THE TWR WHICH RWY WE WERE CLRED ON. THE F/O SAID IT WAS RWY 9L BUT CALLED ANYWAY AND THE TWR SAID RWY 9L. A DIFFERENT VOICE THEN CAME ON AND SAID, 'STOP THERE.' I STOPPED BARELY(?) SHORT OF THE RWY. AN ACFT LANDED ON RWY 9L ABOUT 1 1/2 MINS LATER. I CALLED THE SUPVR LATER TO SEE WHAT THE PROB WAS. HE SAID CTLR TRNING WAS IN PROGRESS. I WONDER ABOUT A FEW ITEMS. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THE TAPES ALTHOUGH TO DO SO WOULD MEAN PUSHING IT SO THAT SOMEBODY WILL GET VIOLATED. I THINK THE CTLR SAID EITHER, 'CLRED FOR TKOF,' OR 'CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 12.' AN OBSERVING PLT (NEW ON THE AIRPLANE) IN THE JUMPSEAT SAID THE CTLR SAID 'POSITION AND HOLD RWY 12.' IN A WAY I SUSPECT THE F/O WAS CORRECT. I WAS LED TO BELIEVE THE TKOF RWY WOULD BE RWY 12. I THINK THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE SAID 'CHANGE DEP RWY TO 9L, CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 9L, PLEASE EXPEDITE.' THE F/O SAID HE THOUGHT I WAS GOING ON TO RWY 9L UNTIL I HELD SHORT OF RWY 12. THE TAXI RTES ARE THE SAME. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR BELIEVES THAT HIS CONFUSION PROBABLY AROSE BECAUSE HE WAS ORIGINALLY TOLD TO TAXI TO RWY 12. HE FEELS THAT THE LCL CTLR SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHICH RWY WAS INTENDED FOR TKOF WHEN CLRNC TO ENTER THE RWY WAS ISSUED. RPTR FEELS THAT SIMULTANEOUS TKOFS AND LNDGS ON RWYS 12 AND 9L ARE CONFUSING AND THAT THE CTLR WAS TRYING TO SPACE TFC TOO TIGHTLY. CALLBACK CONDUCTED AS PART OF A STRUCTURED CALLBACK ON RWY INCURSIONS.

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.