Tower controller changed runway assignment to landing aircraft that failed to fly the clearance.

Attributes
ACN	428039
Time
Date	199902
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : stl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : stl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 12l
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 15525 flight time type : 1973
ASRS Report	428039
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : executed go around
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At about XA00 my flight xa was holding short of runway 12L on taxiway C on the south side. I remember stl tower clearing an aircraft on approach to runway 12L to change runways and land on runway 12R. Subsequently, tower cleared flight xa into position and hold on runway 12L. I started taxiing across the hold short line. Almost simultaneously, my first officer looked left, he hit the brakes, tower directed an aircraft to go around, I looked left and stopped my aircraft about 20 ft short of crossing the right runway edge marking. The aircraft on approach reported on a go around and asked tower the reason. Tower replied, 'aircraft on the runway.' about 1 min later, tower cleared flight xa into position on runway 12L, followed by clearance to takeoff. The flight continued without incident. Other than tower's statement regarding the reason for the go around, no other comment or explanation was made in reference to my operation of my aircraft, not to the operation of the aircraft on approach to my knowledge.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR CTLR CHANGED RWY ASSIGNMENT TO LNDG ACFT THAT FAILED TO FLY THE CLRNC.

Narrative: AT ABOUT XA00 MY FLT XA WAS HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 12L ON TXWY C ON THE S SIDE. I REMEMBER STL TWR CLRING AN ACFT ON APCH TO RWY 12L TO CHANGE RWYS AND LAND ON RWY 12R. SUBSEQUENTLY, TWR CLRED FLT XA INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 12L. I STARTED TAXIING ACROSS THE HOLD SHORT LINE. ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY, MY FO LOOKED L, HE HIT THE BRAKES, TWR DIRECTED AN ACFT TO GO AROUND, I LOOKED L AND STOPPED MY ACFT ABOUT 20 FT SHORT OF XING THE R RWY EDGE MARKING. THE ACFT ON APCH RPTED ON A GAR AND ASKED TWR THE REASON. TWR REPLIED, 'ACFT ON THE RWY.' ABOUT 1 MIN LATER, TWR CLRED FLT XA INTO POS ON RWY 12L, FOLLOWED BY CLRNC TO TKOF. THE FLT CONTINUED WITHOUT INCIDENT. OTHER THAN TWR'S STATEMENT REGARDING THE REASON FOR THE GAR, NO OTHER COMMENT OR EXPLANATION WAS MADE IN REF TO MY OP OF MY ACFT, NOT TO THE OP OF THE ACFT ON APCH TO MY KNOWLEDGE.

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.