Narrative:

Departing lga, high winds necessitated changing departure runway to runway 31 after line-up for takeoff on runway 4. Tower was attempting to run a x-rwy operation with departures using runway 4 and arrs using the expressway visual 31. Aircraft was taxied with clearance down taxiway B to runway 31. On reaching the end of taxiway B, the aircraft was turned onto taxiway Z toward the hold line for runway 31. This was to facilitate departure between arrival aircraft. Our aircraft was in lead of 3 aircraft taxiing to runway 31 for departure. Tower stated that our destination had instituted a ground stop and we should return to lga ground control. On call-up, ground directed a right turn on taxiway Z for taxi to an area to await release. Our response was that we were facing the runway and unable to comply. Ground was told by us 'we will have to use the runway one way or another,' to clear the taxiway/runway entrance. Ground directed a return to tower. An aircraft landed and was downfield preparing to exit the runway. We reported on frequency with tower. The response received was 'air carrier X, make 2 left turns, make a left and your first left.' we responded, 'air carrier X, left turn and take the first left.' following this clearance the landing lights were turned on and we taxied onto runway 4 with a left turn. Short final was clear. Tower then queried 'air carrier X, are you on the runway?' the response, 'yes.' tower sent an aircraft around that was maneuvering for final and we exited. Nothing more was said. Possible contributions to this confusion; 1) controller used our call sign for instructions to aircraft clearing runway. 2) terminology -- no one used taxiway or runway idents. 3) the pace of the operation dictated by crossing runway operations and hazardous winds. 4) rapid changing of control (tower/ground/tower) results in not everyone having the full picture, yet expectations are present in all involved parties. This may lead to a disconnect in what people think is happening and reality.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 PIC TAXIES ONTO RWY 31 WHEN THE TWR CTLR USES HIS CALL SIGN FOR AN ACFT CLRING THE RWY. AN ACFT ON FINAL IS SENT AROUND.

Narrative: DEPARTING LGA, HIGH WINDS NECESSITATED CHANGING DEP RWY TO RWY 31 AFTER LINE-UP FOR TKOF ON RWY 4. TWR WAS ATTEMPTING TO RUN A X-RWY OP WITH DEPS USING RWY 4 AND ARRS USING THE EXPRESSWAY VISUAL 31. ACFT WAS TAXIED WITH CLRNC DOWN TXWY B TO RWY 31. ON REACHING THE END OF TXWY B, THE ACFT WAS TURNED ONTO TXWY Z TOWARD THE HOLD LINE FOR RWY 31. THIS WAS TO FACILITATE DEP BTWN ARR ACFT. OUR ACFT WAS IN LEAD OF 3 ACFT TAXIING TO RWY 31 FOR DEP. TWR STATED THAT OUR DEST HAD INSTITUTED A GND STOP AND WE SHOULD RETURN TO LGA GND CTL. ON CALL-UP, GND DIRECTED A R TURN ON TXWY Z FOR TAXI TO AN AREA TO AWAIT RELEASE. OUR RESPONSE WAS THAT WE WERE FACING THE RWY AND UNABLE TO COMPLY. GND WAS TOLD BY US 'WE WILL HAVE TO USE THE RWY ONE WAY OR ANOTHER,' TO CLR THE TXWY/RWY ENTRANCE. GND DIRECTED A RETURN TO TWR. AN ACFT LANDED AND WAS DOWNFIELD PREPARING TO EXIT THE RWY. WE RPTED ON FREQ WITH TWR. THE RESPONSE RECEIVED WAS 'ACR X, MAKE 2 LEFT TURNS, MAKE A L AND YOUR FIRST L.' WE RESPONDED, 'ACR X, L TURN AND TAKE THE FIRST L.' FOLLOWING THIS CLRNC THE LNDG LIGHTS WERE TURNED ON AND WE TAXIED ONTO RWY 4 WITH A L TURN. SHORT FINAL WAS CLR. TWR THEN QUERIED 'ACR X, ARE YOU ON THE RWY?' THE RESPONSE, 'YES.' TWR SENT AN ACFT AROUND THAT WAS MANEUVERING FOR FINAL AND WE EXITED. NOTHING MORE WAS SAID. POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS CONFUSION; 1) CTLR USED OUR CALL SIGN FOR INSTRUCTIONS TO ACFT CLRING RWY. 2) TERMINOLOGY -- NO ONE USED TXWY OR RWY IDENTS. 3) THE PACE OF THE OP DICTATED BY XING RWY OPS AND HAZARDOUS WINDS. 4) RAPID CHANGING OF CTL (TWR/GND/TWR) RESULTS IN NOT EVERYONE HAVING THE FULL PICTURE, YET EXPECTATIONS ARE PRESENT IN ALL INVOLVED PARTIES. THIS MAY LEAD TO A DISCONNECT IN WHAT PEOPLE THINK IS HAPPENING AND REALITY.

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.