Narrative:

We were holding short of runway 8L and had been for several mins. ATC cleared 'something ab' onto runway 8L 'position and hold.' I turned to the captain and said 'that wasn't for us was it?' he said 'yes' and began taxiing. I answered to ATC 'ab position and hold runway 8L.' nothing was said, but the captain then stopped abruptly, across the hold short line but not 'on' the runway. Another flight (aircraft), a dash 8, taxied onto the runway at an intersection. We think his flight numbers also ended in ab. The captain realized we'd made a mistake, but remained there while a B737 and a DC9 landed. He was more concerned about admitting the mistake and getting an FAA violation than getting hit! I suggested we turn around, but he didn't. We took off when cleared and nothing was said.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF SHORTS 330 RESPONDS TO CLRNC MEANT FOR ANOTHER ACFT. THEY STOP SHORT OF ENTERING THE RWY, BUT ARE ACROSS THE HOLD LINE.

Narrative: WE WERE HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 8L AND HAD BEEN FOR SEVERAL MINS. ATC CLRED 'SOMETHING AB' ONTO RWY 8L 'POS AND HOLD.' I TURNED TO THE CAPT AND SAID 'THAT WASN'T FOR US WAS IT?' HE SAID 'YES' AND BEGAN TAXIING. I ANSWERED TO ATC 'AB POS AND HOLD RWY 8L.' NOTHING WAS SAID, BUT THE CAPT THEN STOPPED ABRUPTLY, ACROSS THE HOLD SHORT LINE BUT NOT 'ON' THE RWY. ANOTHER FLT (ACFT), A DASH 8, TAXIED ONTO THE RWY AT AN INTXN. WE THINK HIS FLT NUMBERS ALSO ENDED IN AB. THE CAPT REALIZED WE'D MADE A MISTAKE, BUT REMAINED THERE WHILE A B737 AND A DC9 LANDED. HE WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT ADMITTING THE MISTAKE AND GETTING AN FAA VIOLATION THAN GETTING HIT! I SUGGESTED WE TURN AROUND, BUT HE DIDN'T. WE TOOK OFF WHEN CLRED AND NOTHING WAS SAID.

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.