Flight crew of large transport taxiing to runway 18 and crossing runway 15 saw government test aircraft pass closely overhead. Also observed by several passenger.

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Attributes
ACN	184171
Time
Date	199104
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 18000
ASRS Report	184171
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our initial taxi clearance was 'taxi to runway 18 via J, hold short of runway 15'. Approaching 15 we were cleared to cross 15 go to tower on the other side. I cleared approach and saw aircraft that appeared to be going to 18. As I got about half way across 15, I looked left and we all saw a blue and white small transport 100 ft over the end of the runway 15 coming right at us. He executed a go around and no contact was made. I do not know if his aircraft passed over ours or not. We questioned ground control and we were told that the aircraft was FAA flight check and he was checking the lda/DME with GS for runway 18. He was cleared for the approach and low approach 18. I made an attempt to explain to the passenger what had happened and on to stl we went. At stl, I called and spoke to dca approach control supervisor who advised that he could not determine at that time what had caused the confusion. He stated that their clearance to the aircraft was as stated above, that is why we were cleared to cross 15, and that we had adhered to our instructions. He said that he would follow up with FAA flight check pilot.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF LGT TAXIING TO RWY 18 AND XING RWY 15 SAW GOV TEST ACFT PASS CLOSELY OVERHEAD. ALSO OBSERVED BY SEVERAL PAX.

Narrative: OUR INITIAL TAXI CLRNC WAS 'TAXI TO RWY 18 VIA J, HOLD SHORT OF RWY 15'. APCHING 15 WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS 15 GO TO TWR ON THE OTHER SIDE. I CLRED APCH AND SAW ACFT THAT APPEARED TO BE GOING TO 18. AS I GOT ABOUT HALF WAY ACROSS 15, I LOOKED L AND WE ALL SAW A BLUE AND WHITE SMT 100 FT OVER THE END OF THE RWY 15 COMING RIGHT AT US. HE EXECUTED A GAR AND NO CONTACT WAS MADE. I DO NOT KNOW IF HIS ACFT PASSED OVER OURS OR NOT. WE QUESTIONED GND CTL AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THE ACFT WAS FAA FLT CHK AND HE WAS CHKING THE LDA/DME WITH GS FOR RWY 18. HE WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH AND LOW APCH 18. I MADE AN ATTEMPT TO EXPLAIN TO THE PAX WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND ON TO STL WE WENT. AT STL, I CALLED AND SPOKE TO DCA APCH CTL SUPVR WHO ADVISED THAT HE COULD NOT DETERMINE AT THAT TIME WHAT HAD CAUSED THE CONFUSION. HE STATED THAT THEIR CLRNC TO THE ACFT WAS AS STATED ABOVE, THAT IS WHY WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS 15, AND THAT WE HAD ADHERED TO OUR INSTRUCTIONS. HE SAID THAT HE WOULD FOLLOW UP WITH FAA FLT CHK PLT.

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.