Narrative:

On initial call for taxi, ground control issued a clearance to taxi to runway 36 to hold short of runway 3. Prior to exiting the ramp area the clearance was amended because of traffic congestion. We were told to follow a specific aircraft immediately ahead of us. (That aircraft was idented by company name and type). We lagged some distance behind that aircraft as it took some time to navigation through the area of congestion. Approaching runway 3 the aircraft we were following had already crossed. We asked to confirm we were cleared to cross runway 3, and were told 'no, hold short for departing traffic.' only then did we see the small aircraft on departure roll. I stopped my aircraft as quickly as possible, but the nose of my aircraft was over the hold short line by 10-15 ft. That hold short line is about 75-100 ft from the runway itself so my aircraft was at no time actually on the runway. In fact we were well clear of runway 3 in spite of being over the hold short line. The potential for a collision was definitely there. I believe for ATC to issue a clearance to follow another aircraft is ambiguous. I know I will never cross another runway (active or not) without specifically asking even though it will add to frequency congestion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG FAILED TO STOP BEHIND THE HOLD SHORT LINE DURING TAXI FOR TKOF.

Narrative: ON INITIAL CALL FOR TAXI, GND CTL ISSUED A CLRNC TO TAXI TO RWY 36 TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 3. PRIOR TO EXITING THE RAMP AREA THE CLRNC WAS AMENDED BECAUSE OF TFC CONGESTION. WE WERE TOLD TO FOLLOW A SPECIFIC ACFT IMMEDIATELY AHEAD OF US. (THAT ACFT WAS IDENTED BY COMPANY NAME AND TYPE). WE LAGGED SOME DISTANCE BEHIND THAT ACFT AS IT TOOK SOME TIME TO NAV THROUGH THE AREA OF CONGESTION. APCHING RWY 3 THE ACFT WE WERE FOLLOWING HAD ALREADY CROSSED. WE ASKED TO CONFIRM WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS RWY 3, AND WERE TOLD 'NO, HOLD SHORT FOR DEPARTING TFC.' ONLY THEN DID WE SEE THE SMALL ACFT ON DEP ROLL. I STOPPED MY ACFT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT THE NOSE OF MY ACFT WAS OVER THE HOLD SHORT LINE BY 10-15 FT. THAT HOLD SHORT LINE IS ABOUT 75-100 FT FROM THE RWY ITSELF SO MY ACFT WAS AT NO TIME ACTUALLY ON THE RWY. IN FACT WE WERE WELL CLR OF RWY 3 IN SPITE OF BEING OVER THE HOLD SHORT LINE. THE POTENTIAL FOR A COLLISION WAS DEFINITELY THERE. I BELIEVE FOR ATC TO ISSUE A CLRNC TO FOLLOW ANOTHER ACFT IS AMBIGUOUS. I KNOW I WILL NEVER CROSS ANOTHER RWY (ACTIVE OR NOT) WITHOUT SPECIFICALLY ASKING EVEN THOUGH IT WILL ADD TO FREQ CONGESTION.

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.