Narrative:

We were initially cleared by ground to 'taxi to runway 34,' no additional instructions were given (note: this clearance is often, but not always, accompanied by 'hold short of runway 29.') approaching runway 29, the captain noticed a light aircraft taxiing into position on runway 29. Unsure of that aircraft's intentions, the captain brought our aircraft to a stop short of runway 29, but slightly (about 5 ft) across the hold short line for runway 29. We contacted ground for clarification and were told to 'hold short of runway 29.' after the light aircraft departed, we were cleared to cross runway 29. I questioned ground control, asking 'ground, confirm that our initial clearance was taxi to runway 34.' he said it was to 'taxi to runway 34, hold short of runway 29.' I let him know that we did not receive the hold short instruction. I am 100 percent certain that there was no 'hold short' in our original taxi clearance. The radio frequency was not congested at the time and I made a mental note of the omission of the 'hold short,' as we often receive that clearance. I also base this on the reaction of the ground controller when we contacted him after our stop short of runway 29. He quickly told us to 'hold short of runway 29' and, when I advised him that we were slightly across the hold short line, he seemed unconcerned. Supplemental information from acn 319601: it's always good practice to clear both ways while taxiing across a runway. This time it paid off. This also could have been a readback/hearback problem with the ground controller. The first officer read back the clearance 'taxi to runway 34.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LTT AVOIDED A POTENTIAL CONFLICT BY HOLDING SHORT OF A RWY WITHOUT BEING INSTRUCTED TO DO SO.

Narrative: WE WERE INITIALLY CLRED BY GND TO 'TAXI TO RWY 34,' NO ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN (NOTE: THIS CLRNC IS OFTEN, BUT NOT ALWAYS, ACCOMPANIED BY 'HOLD SHORT OF RWY 29.') APCHING RWY 29, THE CAPT NOTICED A LIGHT ACFT TAXIING INTO POS ON RWY 29. UNSURE OF THAT ACFT'S INTENTIONS, THE CAPT BROUGHT OUR ACFT TO A STOP SHORT OF RWY 29, BUT SLIGHTLY (ABOUT 5 FT) ACROSS THE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 29. WE CONTACTED GND FOR CLARIFICATION AND WERE TOLD TO 'HOLD SHORT OF RWY 29.' AFTER THE LIGHT ACFT DEPARTED, WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS RWY 29. I QUESTIONED GND CTL, ASKING 'GND, CONFIRM THAT OUR INITIAL CLRNC WAS TAXI TO RWY 34.' HE SAID IT WAS TO 'TAXI TO RWY 34, HOLD SHORT OF RWY 29.' I LET HIM KNOW THAT WE DID NOT RECEIVE THE HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTION. I AM 100 PERCENT CERTAIN THAT THERE WAS NO 'HOLD SHORT' IN OUR ORIGINAL TAXI CLRNC. THE RADIO FREQ WAS NOT CONGESTED AT THE TIME AND I MADE A MENTAL NOTE OF THE OMISSION OF THE 'HOLD SHORT,' AS WE OFTEN RECEIVE THAT CLRNC. I ALSO BASE THIS ON THE REACTION OF THE GND CTLR WHEN WE CONTACTED HIM AFTER OUR STOP SHORT OF RWY 29. HE QUICKLY TOLD US TO 'HOLD SHORT OF RWY 29' AND, WHEN I ADVISED HIM THAT WE WERE SLIGHTLY ACROSS THE HOLD SHORT LINE, HE SEEMED UNCONCERNED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 319601: IT'S ALWAYS GOOD PRACTICE TO CLR BOTH WAYS WHILE TAXIING ACROSS A RWY. THIS TIME IT PAID OFF. THIS ALSO COULD HAVE BEEN A READBACK/HEARBACK PROB WITH THE GND CTLR. THE FO READ BACK THE CLRNC 'TAXI TO RWY 34.'

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.