B737 crew issued conflicting taxi instructions at lga.

Attributes
ACN	405370
Time
Date	199806
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tol
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 8700 flight time type : 2600
ASRS Report	405370
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Ground control gave erroneous taxi instructions. Our location at time of instruction was facing northwest on taxiway P holding short of taxiway right. Ground control (121.85) gave instructions to 'turn right on taxiway right and hold short of runway 22.' I read back clearance as stated. As we turned right on taxiway right we noticed a B737-300 in position and holding for takeoff on runway 13. As we were crossing runway 13, ground said, 'cleared to cross runway 13, hold short of taxiway U, you were not cleared to cross runway 13.' we then stated that we read back our previous clearance and we are now to hold short of taxiway U. It sounded like he meant to tell us turn right on taxiway right and hold short of runway 13 (not runway 22 like he told us). This probably caused a conflict with tower and the B737-300 that was in position on the runway. Controller seemed very busy with all the aircraft he was handling.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW ISSUED CONFLICTING TAXI INSTRUCTIONS AT LGA.

Narrative: GND CTL GAVE ERRONEOUS TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. OUR LOCATION AT TIME OF INSTRUCTION WAS FACING NW ON TXWY P HOLDING SHORT OF TXWY R. GND CTL (121.85) GAVE INSTRUCTIONS TO 'TURN R ON TXWY R AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 22.' I READ BACK CLRNC AS STATED. AS WE TURNED R ON TXWY R WE NOTICED A B737-300 IN POS AND HOLDING FOR TKOF ON RWY 13. AS WE WERE XING RWY 13, GND SAID, 'CLRED TO CROSS RWY 13, HOLD SHORT OF TXWY U, YOU WERE NOT CLRED TO CROSS RWY 13.' WE THEN STATED THAT WE READ BACK OUR PREVIOUS CLRNC AND WE ARE NOW TO HOLD SHORT OF TXWY U. IT SOUNDED LIKE HE MEANT TO TELL US TURN R ON TXWY R AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 13 (NOT RWY 22 LIKE HE TOLD US). THIS PROBABLY CAUSED A CONFLICT WITH TWR AND THE B737-300 THAT WAS IN POS ON THE RWY. CTLR SEEMED VERY BUSY WITH ALL THE ACFT HE WAS HANDLING.

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.