Narrative:

After engine start we called for taxi. We heard ground control clear us to 'taxi to runway 26R, hold short of taxiway C.' after stopping short of taxiway C on taxiway right, we changed over to phx tower (north). A min or 2 later, tower instructed us to return to ground control. Ground control asked us why we were on taxiway right. I replied we were told to hold short of taxiway C, what do you want us to do now? Ground control then switched us back to tower. We departed shortly thereafter. Had we heard a taxi clearance such as taxi to runway 26R, hold short of taxiway C and remain clear of taxiway right, we would have had no recourse but to wait for company out of a nearby gate to taxi, then proceed to spot xyz. We complied with the clearance we believe we received -- no aircraft were put into 'harm's way.' a better clearance would have been, 'taxi to spot xyz. Hold short of taxiway C.' the tower chief was very upset -- called our company and indicated this has occurred many times. If that is true, then he should have communicated this to our chief pilots so this often misunderstood clearance would be a caution in our 'read before fly' book.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PLT TAXIED ONTO A TXWY THAT HE LATER LEARNED HE WAS TO REMAIN CLR OF -- ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT BLOCKED HIS PATH OUT OF THE RAMP. THE RPTR ALLEGES THAT GND CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS DID NOT CONTAIN ANY RESTR FROM USING TXWY R.

Narrative: AFTER ENG START WE CALLED FOR TAXI. WE HEARD GND CTL CLR US TO 'TAXI TO RWY 26R, HOLD SHORT OF TXWY C.' AFTER STOPPING SHORT OF TXWY C ON TXWY R, WE CHANGED OVER TO PHX TWR (N). A MIN OR 2 LATER, TWR INSTRUCTED US TO RETURN TO GND CTL. GND CTL ASKED US WHY WE WERE ON TXWY R. I REPLIED WE WERE TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF TXWY C, WHAT DO YOU WANT US TO DO NOW? GND CTL THEN SWITCHED US BACK TO TWR. WE DEPARTED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. HAD WE HEARD A TAXI CLRNC SUCH AS TAXI TO RWY 26R, HOLD SHORT OF TXWY C AND REMAIN CLR OF TXWY R, WE WOULD HAVE HAD NO RECOURSE BUT TO WAIT FOR COMPANY OUT OF A NEARBY GATE TO TAXI, THEN PROCEED TO SPOT XYZ. WE COMPLIED WITH THE CLRNC WE BELIEVE WE RECEIVED -- NO ACFT WERE PUT INTO 'HARM'S WAY.' A BETTER CLRNC WOULD HAVE BEEN, 'TAXI TO SPOT XYZ. HOLD SHORT OF TXWY C.' THE TWR CHIEF WAS VERY UPSET -- CALLED OUR COMPANY AND INDICATED THIS HAS OCCURRED MANY TIMES. IF THAT IS TRUE, THEN HE SHOULD HAVE COMMUNICATED THIS TO OUR CHIEF PLTS SO THIS OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD CLRNC WOULD BE A CAUTION IN OUR 'READ BEFORE FLY' BOOK.

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.