Narrative:

While awaiting departure clearance at runway 26R at phx, I taxied my aircraft past a cessna 182 also awaiting departure clearance. The taxiway and pad at the end of runway 26R will allow 2 aircraft to hold short of the runway while neither is blocked by the other. The local controller will sometimes clear 2 airplanes into position in tandem, requiring the second to 'maintain visual' with the first, withholding takeoff clearance from the second aircraft until the first is airborne and separation is attained. I was anticipating this could occur. As I was concentrating on positioning my aircraft, my first officer read back 'position and hold (flight identify).' hearing this, unchallenged by tower, I taxied into position behind the cessna. The cessna received takeoff clearance and did so immediately followed by a clearing turn away. This action further reinforced my perception that we had but a few seconds wait prior to being cleared for takeoff. Having waited approximately 30 seconds without receiving takeoff clearance, and being aware of close-in arrival traffic, I transmitted that we had 'visual on the cessna' to prompt the controller that we needed takeoff clearance. He replied that we had not been cleared onto the runway and should exit immediately. We did so. The arriving aircraft was able to land without delay or evasive action being required. The key in this situation was maintaining situational awareness and allowing for a missed communication. As long as we are dependent on verbal communication, with several parties on the same radio frequency, these sits will reoccur.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN MLG TAXIED INTO POS ON THE RWY WITHOUT TWR INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: WHILE AWAITING DEP CLRNC AT RWY 26R AT PHX, I TAXIED MY ACFT PAST A CESSNA 182 ALSO AWAITING DEP CLRNC. THE TXWY AND PAD AT THE END OF RWY 26R WILL ALLOW 2 ACFT TO HOLD SHORT OF THE RWY WHILE NEITHER IS BLOCKED BY THE OTHER. THE LCL CTLR WILL SOMETIMES CLR 2 AIRPLANES INTO POS IN TANDEM, REQUIRING THE SECOND TO 'MAINTAIN VISUAL' WITH THE FIRST, WITHHOLDING TKOF CLRNC FROM THE SECOND ACFT UNTIL THE FIRST IS AIRBORNE AND SEPARATION IS ATTAINED. I WAS ANTICIPATING THIS COULD OCCUR. AS I WAS CONCENTRATING ON POSITIONING MY ACFT, MY FO READ BACK 'POS AND HOLD (FLT IDENT).' HEARING THIS, UNCHALLENGED BY TWR, I TAXIED INTO POS BEHIND THE CESSNA. THE CESSNA RECEIVED TKOF CLRNC AND DID SO IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A CLRING TURN AWAY. THIS ACTION FURTHER REINFORCED MY PERCEPTION THAT WE HAD BUT A FEW SECONDS WAIT PRIOR TO BEING CLRED FOR TKOF. HAVING WAITED APPROX 30 SECONDS WITHOUT RECEIVING TKOF CLRNC, AND BEING AWARE OF CLOSE-IN ARR TFC, I XMITTED THAT WE HAD 'VISUAL ON THE CESSNA' TO PROMPT THE CTLR THAT WE NEEDED TKOF CLRNC. HE REPLIED THAT WE HAD NOT BEEN CLRED ONTO THE RWY AND SHOULD EXIT IMMEDIATELY. WE DID SO. THE ARRIVING ACFT WAS ABLE TO LAND WITHOUT DELAY OR EVASIVE ACTION BEING REQUIRED. THE KEY IN THIS SIT WAS MAINTAINING SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND ALLOWING FOR A MISSED COM. AS LONG AS WE ARE DEPENDENT ON VERBAL COM, WITH SEVERAL PARTIES ON THE SAME RADIO FREQ, THESE SITS WILL REOCCUR.

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.