Narrative:

After landing normally on runway 36 at dca on taxiway south, we contacted ground control. He asked if our gate was open, we said negative. We were behind a company aircraft which was crossing runway 15/33 at taxiway south. Ground controller instructed us to 'just taxi into the holding area on your right, there.' we both understood that to mean cross the runway behind the company aircraft and proceed to the pad area on the north end of taxiway left. After crossing the runway (and visually confirming no traffic, ground or air, in both directions) we taxied northwest on taxiway left and noticed there was really no place I could park without blocking access to runway 15 if it should be needed. I then made a left 180 degree turn and asked for alternate instructions. At that point we were told to turn left and cross runway 15 at taxiway south and 'hold in the block.' this time it was clear he meant the holding area at north end of taxiway K. After crossing runway 15, it occurred to me that we had inadvertently crossed a runway without a specific clearance to do so. Even though safety was not compromised in this situation, it seems to be a possibility during the airport's busy times. I feel certain that we would have questioned our instructions, however, if there had not been another aircraft crossing the runway immediately ahead of us. Also, we did not question the controller's instruction because it seemed clear to both of us at the time. The location apparently meant by the controller was more properly behind us and not to our right. It seems a case in which ambiguous instructions could have led to a more serious situation. Blocks should be clearly idented on our taxi charts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 LAND RWY 36 AND ACCOUNT NO GATE ADVISED TO HOLD IN HOLDING AREA. FOLLOWED ACFT ACROSS RWYS 15/33 WITHOUT CLRNC. WAS RECLRED BACK TO HOLDING AREA TO THE W OF RWY 36. NO CONFLICT. RPTR SUGGESTS BETTER MARKING OF HOLDING AREA ON ARPT DIAGRAM.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG NORMALLY ON RWY 36 AT DCA ON TXWY S, WE CONTACTED GND CTL. HE ASKED IF OUR GATE WAS OPEN, WE SAID NEGATIVE. WE WERE BEHIND A COMPANY ACFT WHICH WAS XING RWY 15/33 AT TXWY S. GND CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO 'JUST TAXI INTO THE HOLDING AREA ON YOUR R, THERE.' WE BOTH UNDERSTOOD THAT TO MEAN CROSS THE RWY BEHIND THE COMPANY ACFT AND PROCEED TO THE PAD AREA ON THE N END OF TXWY L. AFTER XING THE RWY (AND VISUALLY CONFIRMING NO TFC, GND OR AIR, IN BOTH DIRECTIONS) WE TAXIED NW ON TXWY L AND NOTICED THERE WAS REALLY NO PLACE I COULD PARK WITHOUT BLOCKING ACCESS TO RWY 15 IF IT SHOULD BE NEEDED. I THEN MADE A L 180 DEG TURN AND ASKED FOR ALTERNATE INSTRUCTIONS. AT THAT POINT WE WERE TOLD TO TURN L AND CROSS RWY 15 AT TXWY S AND 'HOLD IN THE BLOCK.' THIS TIME IT WAS CLR HE MEANT THE HOLDING AREA AT N END OF TXWY K. AFTER XING RWY 15, IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT WE HAD INADVERTENTLY CROSSED A RWY WITHOUT A SPECIFIC CLRNC TO DO SO. EVEN THOUGH SAFETY WAS NOT COMPROMISED IN THIS SIT, IT SEEMS TO BE A POSSIBILITY DURING THE ARPT'S BUSY TIMES. I FEEL CERTAIN THAT WE WOULD HAVE QUESTIONED OUR INSTRUCTIONS, HOWEVER, IF THERE HAD NOT BEEN ANOTHER ACFT XING THE RWY IMMEDIATELY AHEAD OF US. ALSO, WE DID NOT QUESTION THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTION BECAUSE IT SEEMED CLR TO BOTH OF US AT THE TIME. THE LOCATION APPARENTLY MEANT BY THE CTLR WAS MORE PROPERLY BEHIND US AND NOT TO OUR R. IT SEEMS A CASE IN WHICH AMBIGUOUS INSTRUCTIONS COULD HAVE LED TO A MORE SERIOUS SIT. BLOCKS SHOULD BE CLRLY IDENTED ON OUR TAXI CHARTS.

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.