DC9 flight crew disputes crossing the hold short line at yul.

Attributes
ACN	426160
Time
Date	199901
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : yul
State Reference	PQ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	426160
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Taxied for departure runway 28 at yul (montreal) via taxiway A4 and taxiway a. The tower queried us as to whether we had crossed the hold short line. I told him I'd check with the captain as to whether or not he had seen a hold short line for runway 28. We were well clear of the approach end of runway 28 and the taxiway had some snow and ice on it from a recent storm. The controller stated that if we could not see it (the hold short line) then we must have crossed the hold short line. Later he cleared us for takeoff on runway 28. Other contributing factors: haven't flown into yul much. I (the first officer) was running checklists. New snow.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 FLC DISPUTES XING THE HOLD SHORT LINE AT YUL.

Narrative: TAXIED FOR DEP RWY 28 AT YUL (MONTREAL) VIA TXWY A4 AND TXWY A. THE TWR QUERIED US AS TO WHETHER WE HAD CROSSED THE HOLD SHORT LINE. I TOLD HIM I'D CHK WITH THE CAPT AS TO WHETHER OR NOT HE HAD SEEN A HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 28. WE WERE WELL CLR OF THE APCH END OF RWY 28 AND THE TXWY HAD SOME SNOW AND ICE ON IT FROM A RECENT STORM. THE CTLR STATED THAT IF WE COULD NOT SEE IT (THE HOLD SHORT LINE) THEN WE MUST HAVE CROSSED THE HOLD SHORT LINE. LATER HE CLRED US FOR TKOF ON RWY 28. OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: HAVEN'T FLOWN INTO YUL MUCH. I (THE FO) WAS RUNNING CHKLISTS. NEW SNOW.

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.