Narrative:

In boston the sequence of ATC always is clearance to taxi, they tell you to monitor ground. Ground issues taxi instructions. From ground you monitor one or both tower frequencys. Taxi instructions to runway 9 always include hold short of runway 4L. The ground controller advised 'your sequence is to follow aircraft xy, monitor the tower on 128.8.' as we reached taxiway south, I slowed to a stop. The first officer said 'you're clear right' meaning runway 4L was clear to cross. I questioned him 'oh, we're cleared to cross?' 'yes' he said. A C402 was on a 2 - 2 1/2 mi final to runway 4L, plenty of time to cross. When we were 2/3 of the way across runway 4L, the 128.8 tower controller asked us if we were on frequency. The first officer answered, 'yes.' he said, 'well, you weren't cleared to cross runway 4L, but since you have, monitor the tower 119.1.' the first officer apologized and explained he misunderstood the ground controller thinking we were cleared to cross behind air carrier xy. That, however, was only our sequence, not clearance across. I was wrong because the sequence of communication in boston is the same all of the time (clearance, ground, 128.8, 119.1 for runway 9), and I didn't make the first officer confirm we were cleared to cross because I hadn't heard it. It is always 128.8 who clears you across runway 4L, not ground control.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SF340 CROSSES RWY 4L AT BOS WITHOUT CLRNC WHILE A C402 IS ON A 2 MI FINAL.

Narrative: IN BOSTON THE SEQUENCE OF ATC ALWAYS IS CLRNC TO TAXI, THEY TELL YOU TO MONITOR GND. GND ISSUES TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. FROM GND YOU MONITOR ONE OR BOTH TWR FREQS. TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO RWY 9 ALWAYS INCLUDE HOLD SHORT OF RWY 4L. THE GND CTLR ADVISED 'YOUR SEQUENCE IS TO FOLLOW ACFT XY, MONITOR THE TWR ON 128.8.' AS WE REACHED TXWY S, I SLOWED TO A STOP. THE FO SAID 'YOU'RE CLR R' MEANING RWY 4L WAS CLR TO CROSS. I QUESTIONED HIM 'OH, WE'RE CLRED TO CROSS?' 'YES' HE SAID. A C402 WAS ON A 2 - 2 1/2 MI FINAL TO RWY 4L, PLENTY OF TIME TO CROSS. WHEN WE WERE 2/3 OF THE WAY ACROSS RWY 4L, THE 128.8 TWR CTLR ASKED US IF WE WERE ON FREQ. THE FO ANSWERED, 'YES.' HE SAID, 'WELL, YOU WEREN'T CLRED TO CROSS RWY 4L, BUT SINCE YOU HAVE, MONITOR THE TWR 119.1.' THE FO APOLOGIZED AND EXPLAINED HE MISUNDERSTOOD THE GND CTLR THINKING WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS BEHIND ACR XY. THAT, HOWEVER, WAS ONLY OUR SEQUENCE, NOT CLRNC ACROSS. I WAS WRONG BECAUSE THE SEQUENCE OF COM IN BOSTON IS THE SAME ALL OF THE TIME (CLRNC, GND, 128.8, 119.1 FOR RWY 9), AND I DIDN'T MAKE THE FO CONFIRM WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS BECAUSE I HADN'T HEARD IT. IT IS ALWAYS 128.8 WHO CLRS YOU ACROSS RWY 4L, NOT GND CTL.

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.