Narrative:

Ewr was using runway 22R for departures, and runway 22L for arrs, with many of each taking place in VFR WX. We were cleared by ewr tower into position to hold runway 22R, air carrier X cleared for takeoff. As PNF, I acknowledged both clrncs, finished up the before takeoff checklist and selected EPR on the mode control panel at the captain's request, then confirmed the power was set at TO2. I then split my scan between the engine instruments and the runway. Just prior to 80 KTS, we both noticed an air carrier Y 727 moving toward the runway from the left at taxiway G. The 727 was not moving very fast, but did not appear to be slowing to hold short, either. The captain immediately commented, 'I hope he's holding short,' and I said, 'I do, too.' however, the 727 continued out ont the runway at the same sedate pace, and at approximately 100 KTS the captain initiated an abort. I notified the tower of our abort and the reason. The 727 never picked up much speed but continued to cross in front of us, and we were slowed to an estimated 40-50 KTS as we passed behind him. The 727 pilot's only comment was 'but we were cleared to cross!' we exited the runway, consulted the charts for brake cooling, cooled the brakes for the appropriate time and had our mechanics inspect the wheels and brakes, then continued the flight to atl without further incident. After communicating the incident to the company, they informed us that tower had indeed cleared both our takeoff and the 727's crossing. We were both busy with cockpit duties at the beginning of the takeoff roll and did not hear the clearance for the 727 to cross -- our first warning was seeing it moving in front of us. 2 mistakes are evident in this incident. Ewr tower erred in clearing air carrier to cross while we were on the roll. While inexcusable, this is a human error that can and does happen. The second error is on the part of the 727 pilots, who evidently accepted the clearance at face value and were going to cross the runway regardless. The point is, it doesn't matter whether you've been 'cleared,' a pilot still has the responsibility to clear the path of his aircraft -- on the air or ground.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MULTIPLE RWY OP PARALLEL RWYS. RWY INCURSION. ACR X HAD LTSS FROM ACR Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: EWR WAS USING RWY 22R FOR DEPS, AND RWY 22L FOR ARRS, WITH MANY OF EACH TAKING PLACE IN VFR WX. WE WERE CLRED BY EWR TWR INTO POS TO HOLD RWY 22R, ACR X CLRED FOR TKOF. AS PNF, I ACKNOWLEDGED BOTH CLRNCS, FINISHED UP THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST AND SELECTED EPR ON THE MODE CTL PANEL AT THE CAPT'S REQUEST, THEN CONFIRMED THE PWR WAS SET AT TO2. I THEN SPLIT MY SCAN BTWN THE ENG INSTS AND THE RWY. JUST PRIOR TO 80 KTS, WE BOTH NOTICED AN ACR Y 727 MOVING TOWARD THE RWY FROM THE L AT TXWY G. THE 727 WAS NOT MOVING VERY FAST, BUT DID NOT APPEAR TO BE SLOWING TO HOLD SHORT, EITHER. THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY COMMENTED, 'I HOPE HE'S HOLDING SHORT,' AND I SAID, 'I DO, TOO.' HOWEVER, THE 727 CONTINUED OUT ONT THE RWY AT THE SAME SEDATE PACE, AND AT APPROX 100 KTS THE CAPT INITIATED AN ABORT. I NOTIFIED THE TWR OF OUR ABORT AND THE REASON. THE 727 NEVER PICKED UP MUCH SPD BUT CONTINUED TO CROSS IN FRONT OF US, AND WE WERE SLOWED TO AN ESTIMATED 40-50 KTS AS WE PASSED BEHIND HIM. THE 727 PLT'S ONLY COMMENT WAS 'BUT WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS!' WE EXITED THE RWY, CONSULTED THE CHARTS FOR BRAKE COOLING, COOLED THE BRAKES FOR THE APPROPRIATE TIME AND HAD OUR MECHS INSPECT THE WHEELS AND BRAKES, THEN CONTINUED THE FLT TO ATL WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AFTER COMMUNICATING THE INCIDENT TO THE COMPANY, THEY INFORMED US THAT TWR HAD INDEED CLRED BOTH OUR TKOF AND THE 727'S XING. WE WERE BOTH BUSY WITH COCKPIT DUTIES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TKOF ROLL AND DID NOT HEAR THE CLRNC FOR THE 727 TO CROSS -- OUR FIRST WARNING WAS SEEING IT MOVING IN FRONT OF US. 2 MISTAKES ARE EVIDENT IN THIS INCIDENT. EWR TWR ERRED IN CLRING ACR TO CROSS WHILE WE WERE ON THE ROLL. WHILE INEXCUSABLE, THIS IS A HUMAN ERROR THAT CAN AND DOES HAPPEN. THE SECOND ERROR IS ON THE PART OF THE 727 PLTS, WHO EVIDENTLY ACCEPTED THE CLRNC AT FACE VALUE AND WERE GOING TO CROSS THE RWY REGARDLESS. THE POINT IS, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU'VE BEEN 'CLRED,' A PLT STILL HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO CLR THE PATH OF HIS ACFT -- ON THE AIR OR GND.

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.