Narrative:

My aircraft was cleared to taxi to runway 30L at msp via txwys south, D and west. The aircraft was stopped short of runway 30L at the hold line on taxiway W1. On txwys A1 and a, several passenger flts were sequenced for departure. 3 flts were cleared for takeoff ahead of us. After the third departure tower cleared our flight, aircraft X into position and hold on runway 30L and we were also informed of a boeing 727 on a 4 mi final. The first officer acknowledged position and hold. I called for the before takeoff checklist to the line, turned on my wing lights, and started taxiing into position. At that time I noticed the aircraft Y, a DC9 on taxiway A1 also taxiing and in fact was turning onto the runway ahead of us. All 3 of us confirmed hearing the clearance was for our flight. I immediately stopped the aircraft and the first officer informed the tower a DC9 had taken the runway ahead of us. Tower then asked 'who is on the runway?' and the answer came back aircraft Y. After about 5-10 seconds tower cleared aircraft Y for takeoff. We then informed tower we were past the hold line. Tower then called for the boeing B727 on short final to go around. Aircraft Z acknowledged, and went around. About 10 seconds later we were asked if our flight was ready to go. Tower was informed we were ready. About 10 seconds later we were cleared for takeoff. The only reason I can think of that caused situation is that aircraft Y acknowledged our clearance at the same time we did and consequently blocked or partially blocked our transmission. I do not know what tower heard but seemed surprised as we were. Supplemental information from acn 456376: we were #1 in line for takeoff on runway 30L at msp, holding short on taxiway A2. Across from us on taxiway W2, was an aircraft X, B727, also holding short of the runway. We heard 'aircraft Y cleared into position and hold, runway 30L.' I read back this and the captain turned on the landing lights as we took the runway. Aircraft X, B727 was still holding short, no lights, no movement, no radio transmission. 10-15 seconds later, ATC cleared aircraft Y for takeoff runway 30L. Aircraft X then notified the tower that, 'a DC9 took the runway,' possibly insinuating that we took the runway without clearance. Tower then asked, 'who is in position on runway 30L?' after we answered, we were cleared for takeoff. I do believe that the traffic behind us had to go around. Radio xmissions were cleared and not 'stepped on.' don't believe we did anything wrong, but thought I would fill out a report anyway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BOEING 727 FLC TAXIED BEYOND THE RWY HOLD LINE AT MSP. THIS CAUSED AN ACFT ON FINAL TO GO AROUND.

Narrative: MY ACFT WAS CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 30L AT MSP VIA TXWYS S, D AND W. THE ACFT WAS STOPPED SHORT OF RWY 30L AT THE HOLD LINE ON TXWY W1. ON TXWYS A1 AND A, SEVERAL PAX FLTS WERE SEQUENCED FOR DEP. 3 FLTS WERE CLRED FOR TKOF AHEAD OF US. AFTER THE THIRD DEP TWR CLRED OUR FLT, ACFT X INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 30L AND WE WERE ALSO INFORMED OF A BOEING 727 ON A 4 MI FINAL. THE FO ACKNOWLEDGED POS AND HOLD. I CALLED FOR THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST TO THE LINE, TURNED ON MY WING LIGHTS, AND STARTED TAXIING INTO POS. AT THAT TIME I NOTICED THE ACFT Y, A DC9 ON TXWY A1 ALSO TAXIING AND IN FACT WAS TURNING ONTO THE RWY AHEAD OF US. ALL 3 OF US CONFIRMED HEARING THE CLRNC WAS FOR OUR FLT. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE ACFT AND THE FO INFORMED THE TWR A DC9 HAD TAKEN THE RWY AHEAD OF US. TWR THEN ASKED 'WHO IS ON THE RWY?' AND THE ANSWER CAME BACK ACFT Y. AFTER ABOUT 5-10 SECONDS TWR CLRED ACFT Y FOR TKOF. WE THEN INFORMED TWR WE WERE PAST THE HOLD LINE. TWR THEN CALLED FOR THE BOEING B727 ON SHORT FINAL TO GO AROUND. ACFT Z ACKNOWLEDGED, AND WENT AROUND. ABOUT 10 SECONDS LATER WE WERE ASKED IF OUR FLT WAS READY TO GO. TWR WAS INFORMED WE WERE READY. ABOUT 10 SECONDS LATER WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. THE ONLY REASON I CAN THINK OF THAT CAUSED SIT IS THAT ACFT Y ACKNOWLEDGED OUR CLRNC AT THE SAME TIME WE DID AND CONSEQUENTLY BLOCKED OR PARTIALLY BLOCKED OUR XMISSION. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TWR HEARD BUT SEEMED SURPRISED AS WE WERE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 456376: WE WERE #1 IN LINE FOR TKOF ON RWY 30L AT MSP, HOLDING SHORT ON TXWY A2. ACROSS FROM US ON TXWY W2, WAS AN ACFT X, B727, ALSO HOLDING SHORT OF THE RWY. WE HEARD 'ACFT Y CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD, RWY 30L.' I READ BACK THIS AND THE CAPT TURNED ON THE LNDG LIGHTS AS WE TOOK THE RWY. ACFT X, B727 WAS STILL HOLDING SHORT, NO LIGHTS, NO MOVEMENT, NO RADIO XMISSION. 10-15 SECONDS LATER, ATC CLRED ACFT Y FOR TKOF RWY 30L. ACFT X THEN NOTIFIED THE TWR THAT, 'A DC9 TOOK THE RWY,' POSSIBLY INSINUATING THAT WE TOOK THE RWY WITHOUT CLRNC. TWR THEN ASKED, 'WHO IS IN POS ON RWY 30L?' AFTER WE ANSWERED, WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. I DO BELIEVE THAT THE TFC BEHIND US HAD TO GO AROUND. RADIO XMISSIONS WERE CLRED AND NOT 'STEPPED ON.' DON'T BELIEVE WE DID ANYTHING WRONG, BUT THOUGHT I WOULD FILL OUT A RPT ANYWAY.

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.