Late frequency change and possible runway incursion.

Attributes
ACN	294250
Time
Date	199501
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bos
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bna
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	294250
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared to taxi from the ramp to runway 9, hold short runway 4L behind a 757. While taxiing, ground control told us to follow the 757 and to monitor 128.8. We were very busy in the cockpit trying to complete our before takeoff checks and the instructions to monitor were given quite close to runway 4L. The frequency wasn't changed until we had already began to encroach on runway 4L (following the 757 across the runway). When we switched to the monitoring frequency, we heard the controller talking to another aircraft, telling that aircraft that he was not in contact with us. This was a very busy time. We never knew who the controller on the monitoring frequency was (ground or tower). Additionally, it was unclr exactly when ground wanted us to switch to the monitoring frequency considering our proximity to runway 4L. I don't feel comfortable crossing a runway merely with a clearance to follow another aircraft to our departure runway. From now on, I want to hear the words 'cleared to cross runway' after having received a hold short of runway clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LATE FREQ CHANGE AND POSSIBLE RWY INCURSION.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI FROM THE RAMP TO RWY 9, HOLD SHORT RWY 4L BEHIND A 757. WHILE TAXIING, GND CTL TOLD US TO FOLLOW THE 757 AND TO MONITOR 128.8. WE WERE VERY BUSY IN THE COCKPIT TRYING TO COMPLETE OUR BEFORE TKOF CHKS AND THE INSTRUCTIONS TO MONITOR WERE GIVEN QUITE CLOSE TO RWY 4L. THE FREQ WASN'T CHANGED UNTIL WE HAD ALREADY BEGAN TO ENCROACH ON RWY 4L (FOLLOWING THE 757 ACROSS THE RWY). WHEN WE SWITCHED TO THE MONITORING FREQ, WE HEARD THE CTLR TALKING TO ANOTHER ACFT, TELLING THAT ACFT THAT HE WAS NOT IN CONTACT WITH US. THIS WAS A VERY BUSY TIME. WE NEVER KNEW WHO THE CTLR ON THE MONITORING FREQ WAS (GND OR TWR). ADDITIONALLY, IT WAS UNCLR EXACTLY WHEN GND WANTED US TO SWITCH TO THE MONITORING FREQ CONSIDERING OUR PROX TO RWY 4L. I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE XING A RWY MERELY WITH A CLRNC TO FOLLOW ANOTHER ACFT TO OUR DEP RWY. FROM NOW ON, I WANT TO HEAR THE WORDS 'CLRED TO CROSS RWY' AFTER HAVING RECEIVED A HOLD SHORT OF RWY CLRNC.

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.