Confusion regarding taxi instructions as controller workload heavy.

Attributes
ACN	249293
Time
Date	199308
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bos
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	249293
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

WX was low IFR. ATIS indicated ILS approachs to runway 4R, departures on runway 9. Approach was at minimums and routine. Cleared runway on taxiway (high speed). New first officer initially gave the improper position, which I immediately corrected. Local controller was working landing runway plus departures on runway 4L, runway 9, and runway 15R. Departures on runway 4L and runway 15R not on ATIS, plus crossing landing aircraft on runway 4L and runway 15R. High speed 'Y' (where we cleared) had green in- ground taxi lights crossing runway 4L (this is also runway 33R. The lights were on on this runway also). Controller asked us several times about our position. He did not seem to know where we were. He was extremely busy. He then told us to continue across runway 4L, then asked us again our position and told us to hold short. I told him we were past the hold line (but not on runway). He then told us to continue and hold short of runway 15R. Conclusion: the WX was low. The controller could not see aircraft on ground. Controllers attention was divided between lndgs, takeoff on 3 runways, and aircraft crossing runways. This was a very confused situation and even though we knew our location the controller's inability to place us on the airport began to confuse us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFUSION REGARDING TAXI INSTRUCTIONS AS CTLR WORKLOAD HVY.

Narrative: WX WAS LOW IFR. ATIS INDICATED ILS APCHS TO RWY 4R, DEPS ON RWY 9. APCH WAS AT MINIMUMS AND ROUTINE. CLRED RWY ON TXWY (HIGH SPD). NEW FO INITIALLY GAVE THE IMPROPER POS, WHICH I IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED. LCL CTLR WAS WORKING LNDG RWY PLUS DEPS ON RWY 4L, RWY 9, AND RWY 15R. DEPS ON RWY 4L AND RWY 15R NOT ON ATIS, PLUS XING LNDG ACFT ON RWY 4L AND RWY 15R. HIGH SPD 'Y' (WHERE WE CLRED) HAD GREEN IN- GND TAXI LIGHTS XING RWY 4L (THIS IS ALSO RWY 33R. THE LIGHTS WERE ON ON THIS RWY ALSO). CTLR ASKED US SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT OUR POS. HE DID NOT SEEM TO KNOW WHERE WE WERE. HE WAS EXTREMELY BUSY. HE THEN TOLD US TO CONTINUE ACROSS RWY 4L, THEN ASKED US AGAIN OUR POS AND TOLD US TO HOLD SHORT. I TOLD HIM WE WERE PAST THE HOLD LINE (BUT NOT ON RWY). HE THEN TOLD US TO CONTINUE AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 15R. CONCLUSION: THE WX WAS LOW. THE CTLR COULD NOT SEE ACFT ON GND. CTLRS ATTN WAS DIVIDED BTWN LNDGS, TKOF ON 3 RWYS, AND ACFT XING RWYS. THIS WAS A VERY CONFUSED SIT AND EVEN THOUGH WE KNEW OUR LOCATION THE CTLR'S INABILITY TO PLACE US ON THE ARPT BEGAN TO CONFUSE US.

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.