MD11 crew was issued what they thought was a 'conditional position and hold clearance' by eddf tower...

Attributes
ACN	492146
Time
Date	200011
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eddf.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-11
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other
Flight Phase	ground : position and hold ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : eddf.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A340
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground : takeoff roll ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	492146
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	492145
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : executed go around none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Alleged position and hold without clearance. #3 for takeoff behind an aircraft on the runway. An A340 holding short. Given a clearance that all 3 of us thought was 'position and hold behind a departing aircraft.' informed tower that we could not get around the A340. Tower then said they meant position, 'hold after the A340.' first officer read back the clearance verbatim, got either an affirmative response or no response, I don't recall. Taxied into position after A340 rolled, noticed an aircraft on approximately 3-5 mi final for either runways 25L or right, runways too close together to determine which. Shortly thereafter heard an aircraft call 'go around.' tower then chastised us for taxiing into position without clearance. All 3 of us agreed that we were cleared into position (and read back that clearance to tower).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD11 CREW WAS ISSUED WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS A 'CONDITIONAL POS AND HOLD CLRNC' BY EDDF TWR CTLR.

Narrative: ALLEGED POS AND HOLD WITHOUT CLRNC. #3 FOR TKOF BEHIND AN ACFT ON THE RWY. AN A340 HOLDING SHORT. GIVEN A CLRNC THAT ALL 3 OF US THOUGHT WAS 'POS AND HOLD BEHIND A DEPARTING ACFT.' INFORMED TWR THAT WE COULD NOT GET AROUND THE A340. TWR THEN SAID THEY MEANT POS, 'HOLD AFTER THE A340.' FO READ BACK THE CLRNC VERBATIM, GOT EITHER AN AFFIRMATIVE RESPONSE OR NO RESPONSE, I DON'T RECALL. TAXIED INTO POS AFTER A340 ROLLED, NOTICED AN ACFT ON APPROX 3-5 MI FINAL FOR EITHER RWYS 25L OR R, RWYS TOO CLOSE TOGETHER TO DETERMINE WHICH. SHORTLY THEREAFTER HEARD AN ACFT CALL 'GAR.' TWR THEN CHASTISED US FOR TAXIING INTO POS WITHOUT CLRNC. ALL 3 OF US AGREED THAT WE WERE CLRED INTO POS (AND READ BACK THAT CLRNC TO TWR).

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.

MD11 crew was issued what they thought was a 'conditional position and hold clearance' by eddf tower controller.