Narrative:

On taxi-out, ground control gave instructions to turn left on taxiway J and hold short of runway 23L. At cleveland, there are 2 hold short lines within close proximity of each other. One is for runway 28 and the other (within 75 ft) is for runway 23L. We complied with instructions, but also held short of runway 28. I was beyond runway 28 hold short line, but complied with and held short of the runway 23L hold short line. Tower communicated with us and said that our instructions were to turn left on taxiway J and hold short of runway 28 at taxiway west. Neither the first officer or myself heard such instructions. I feel that the runway 28 hold short line that is in close proximity with the runway 23L hold short line should be the same for both runways. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter said that he and his first officer heard the clearance as 'hold short of runway 23L' not 'hold short of runway 28' as the controller later said. The captain said that he held short of the runway 28 edge because he would have to be physically on runway 28 to be close to the hold line for runway 23L and he simply does not like to hold on a runway that he is not going to use. The reporter said that he thinks that a single hold line for both runways 28 and 23L on taxiway J would be a better arrangement.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC CROSSED THE HOLD LINE FOR RWY 28 WHILE SEARCHING FOR THE HOLD LINE FOR RWY 23L. THE ATCT GND CTLR SAID THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE STOPPED SOONER.

Narrative: ON TAXI-OUT, GND CTL GAVE INSTRUCTIONS TO TURN L ON TXWY J AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 23L. AT CLEVELAND, THERE ARE 2 HOLD SHORT LINES WITHIN CLOSE PROX OF EACH OTHER. ONE IS FOR RWY 28 AND THE OTHER (WITHIN 75 FT) IS FOR RWY 23L. WE COMPLIED WITH INSTRUCTIONS, BUT ALSO HELD SHORT OF RWY 28. I WAS BEYOND RWY 28 HOLD SHORT LINE, BUT COMPLIED WITH AND HELD SHORT OF THE RWY 23L HOLD SHORT LINE. TWR COMMUNICATED WITH US AND SAID THAT OUR INSTRUCTIONS WERE TO TURN L ON TXWY J AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 28 AT TXWY W. NEITHER THE FO OR MYSELF HEARD SUCH INSTRUCTIONS. I FEEL THAT THE RWY 28 HOLD SHORT LINE THAT IS IN CLOSE PROX WITH THE RWY 23L HOLD SHORT LINE SHOULD BE THE SAME FOR BOTH RWYS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR SAID THAT HE AND HIS FO HEARD THE CLRNC AS 'HOLD SHORT OF RWY 23L' NOT 'HOLD SHORT OF RWY 28' AS THE CTLR LATER SAID. THE CAPT SAID THAT HE HELD SHORT OF THE RWY 28 EDGE BECAUSE HE WOULD HAVE TO BE PHYSICALLY ON RWY 28 TO BE CLOSE TO THE HOLD LINE FOR RWY 23L AND HE SIMPLY DOES NOT LIKE TO HOLD ON A RWY THAT HE IS NOT GOING TO USE. THE RPTR SAID THAT HE THINKS THAT A SINGLE HOLD LINE FOR BOTH RWYS 28 AND 23L ON TXWY J WOULD BE A BETTER ARRANGEMENT.

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.