Narrative:

We (X) were on taxiway M intersection D for runway 27R for takeoff. We were notified of a 10-15 min ground delay by ground control (atl). We (X) were then given clearance to cross runway 27R at taxiway D, turn left on taxiway north and wait for your release. The first officer read back the taxi instructions. As we crossed the hold short line for runway 27R we noticed an MD88 (Y) on its takeoff roll. Brakes were applied immediately and we stopped short of the runway very near the runway edge line. The MD88 (Y) continued the takeoff passing about 20 ft or so in front of us. We were told by the atl tower supervisor that the ground controller notified the tower controller he had given us instructions to taxi across runway 27R, but the tower controller in his/her haste to get aircraft airborne forgot and gave the MD88 takeoff clearance. There were about 10-15 or so aircraft waiting for takeoff on runway 27R. Steady stream of aircraft landing runway 27L. It is somewhat irregular to have an aircraft cross the takeoff runway to wait out a delay. We usually wait it out on ramp X. This could have been a disaster if the flight crew (L1011) had not been vigilant in their duties. We also feel the MD88 should have aborted his/her takeoff. You can't miss an L1011 almost in your takeoff path. It also unnerved our passenger because of our angle with the runway. They saw it all and the noise of an MD88 passing in front of the aircraft by only a few ft did not help matters.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR L1011 FLC RECEIVES TAXI CLRNC TO CROSS RWY. AS THE FLC STARTS TO CROSS, FLC RECOGNIZES AN MD88 IS ON TKOF ROLL, AND STOPS. FLC ESTIMATES MD88 MISSES L1011 BY APPROX 20 FT. PLT CONVERSATION WITH TWR LEARNS MISCOM BTWN GND CTLR AND LCL CTLR CAUSED INCIDENT.

Narrative: WE (X) WERE ON TXWY M INTXN D FOR RWY 27R FOR TKOF. WE WERE NOTIFIED OF A 10-15 MIN GND DELAY BY GND CTL (ATL). WE (X) WERE THEN GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS RWY 27R AT TXWY D, TURN L ON TXWY N AND WAIT FOR YOUR RELEASE. THE FO READ BACK THE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. AS WE CROSSED THE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 27R WE NOTICED AN MD88 (Y) ON ITS TKOF ROLL. BRAKES WERE APPLIED IMMEDIATELY AND WE STOPPED SHORT OF THE RWY VERY NEAR THE RWY EDGE LINE. THE MD88 (Y) CONTINUED THE TKOF PASSING ABOUT 20 FT OR SO IN FRONT OF US. WE WERE TOLD BY THE ATL TWR SUPVR THAT THE GND CTLR NOTIFIED THE TWR CTLR HE HAD GIVEN US INSTRUCTIONS TO TAXI ACROSS RWY 27R, BUT THE TWR CTLR IN HIS/HER HASTE TO GET ACFT AIRBORNE FORGOT AND GAVE THE MD88 TKOF CLRNC. THERE WERE ABOUT 10-15 OR SO ACFT WAITING FOR TKOF ON RWY 27R. STEADY STREAM OF ACFT LNDG RWY 27L. IT IS SOMEWHAT IRREGULAR TO HAVE AN ACFT CROSS THE TKOF RWY TO WAIT OUT A DELAY. WE USUALLY WAIT IT OUT ON RAMP X. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER IF THE FLC (L1011) HAD NOT BEEN VIGILANT IN THEIR DUTIES. WE ALSO FEEL THE MD88 SHOULD HAVE ABORTED HIS/HER TKOF. YOU CAN'T MISS AN L1011 ALMOST IN YOUR TKOF PATH. IT ALSO UNNERVED OUR PAX BECAUSE OF OUR ANGLE WITH THE RWY. THEY SAW IT ALL AND THE NOISE OF AN MD88 PASSING IN FRONT OF THE ACFT BY ONLY A FEW FT DID NOT HELP MATTERS.

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.