Narrative:

I was holding in position for takeoff on taxiway a for departure on runway 16 at hpn. Call sign xyz. I was #3 for takeoff, still on ground frequency but monitoring tower frequency on radio #2. Due to frequency congestion on tower (118.575), due to pattern traffic, landing traffic, intersection takeoffs, etc, I could not break in on tower frequency to tell them who I was. I decided to wait until I was #1 for takeoff, before calling tower. As the 2 planes in front of me finally taxied onto the active runway, I moved up to the #1 position but due to constant radio chatter, was still not able to announce myself. Finally during a pause of maybe 1 second I flipped to tower frequency on radio #2 to call tower. But before I hit the push-to-talk switch, the tower called out to the aircraft holding in the #1 position for runway 16 (me) 'what's your call sign?' (or words to that effect). I replied 'xyz.' he said 'ok' or 'thanks' or words to that effect, then continued incessant instructions to other traffic. A short time later, I heard tower say 'xyz, taxi into position and hold, runway one six.' I replied back, 'taxi and hold, runway one six, xyz.' I taxied onto runway 16 and held in position. I sat on runway about 60 seconds looking out rear window of C152 at traffic on 1 mi final getting closer. At about 1/2 - 1/4 mi from landing, that traffic called a self-induced go around due to traffic holding on runway (me). Tower told that aircraft to go around, then yelled at me for being on the runway. He said 'I told you to taxi up to and hold short of runway one six.' I apologized and said, 'I thought you said taxi into position and hold on runway one six.' he then cleared me for takeoff. I didn't argue at all and just flew back to pou airport. As far as a resolution for this incident, I really can't help at all because I know with great certainty what he said. I believe that his workload, radio congestion, intersection takeoffs, etc, caused him to just forget me and where I was. If he actually did say 'taxi up to and hold short runway one six' and I actually misinterped the instruction, then I am extremely embarrassed and mortified that I could have made such an error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C152 PLT TAXIED INTO POS AS CLRED AT HPN. TWR CTLR TOOK EXCEPTION TO HIS INTERP OF THE CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS HOLDING IN POS FOR TKOF ON TXWY A FOR DEP ON RWY 16 AT HPN. CALL SIGN XYZ. I WAS #3 FOR TKOF, STILL ON GND FREQ BUT MONITORING TWR FREQ ON RADIO #2. DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION ON TWR (118.575), DUE TO PATTERN TFC, LNDG TFC, INTXN TKOFS, ETC, I COULD NOT BREAK IN ON TWR FREQ TO TELL THEM WHO I WAS. I DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL I WAS #1 FOR TKOF, BEFORE CALLING TWR. AS THE 2 PLANES IN FRONT OF ME FINALLY TAXIED ONTO THE ACTIVE RWY, I MOVED UP TO THE #1 POS BUT DUE TO CONSTANT RADIO CHATTER, WAS STILL NOT ABLE TO ANNOUNCE MYSELF. FINALLY DURING A PAUSE OF MAYBE 1 SECOND I FLIPPED TO TWR FREQ ON RADIO #2 TO CALL TWR. BUT BEFORE I HIT THE PUSH-TO-TALK SWITCH, THE TWR CALLED OUT TO THE ACFT HOLDING IN THE #1 POS FOR RWY 16 (ME) 'WHAT'S YOUR CALL SIGN?' (OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT). I REPLIED 'XYZ.' HE SAID 'OK' OR 'THANKS' OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT, THEN CONTINUED INCESSANT INSTRUCTIONS TO OTHER TFC. A SHORT TIME LATER, I HEARD TWR SAY 'XYZ, TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD, RWY ONE SIX.' I REPLIED BACK, 'TAXI AND HOLD, RWY ONE SIX, XYZ.' I TAXIED ONTO RWY 16 AND HELD IN POS. I SAT ON RWY ABOUT 60 SECONDS LOOKING OUT REAR WINDOW OF C152 AT TFC ON 1 MI FINAL GETTING CLOSER. AT ABOUT 1/2 - 1/4 MI FROM LNDG, THAT TFC CALLED A SELF-INDUCED GAR DUE TO TFC HOLDING ON RWY (ME). TWR TOLD THAT ACFT TO GO AROUND, THEN YELLED AT ME FOR BEING ON THE RWY. HE SAID 'I TOLD YOU TO TAXI UP TO AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY ONE SIX.' I APOLOGIZED AND SAID, 'I THOUGHT YOU SAID TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY ONE SIX.' HE THEN CLRED ME FOR TKOF. I DIDN'T ARGUE AT ALL AND JUST FLEW BACK TO POU ARPT. AS FAR AS A RESOLUTION FOR THIS INCIDENT, I REALLY CAN'T HELP AT ALL BECAUSE I KNOW WITH GREAT CERTAINTY WHAT HE SAID. I BELIEVE THAT HIS WORKLOAD, RADIO CONGESTION, INTXN TKOFS, ETC, CAUSED HIM TO JUST FORGET ME AND WHERE I WAS. IF HE ACTUALLY DID SAY 'TAXI UP TO AND HOLD SHORT RWY ONE SIX' AND I ACTUALLY MISINTERPED THE INSTRUCTION, THEN I AM EXTREMELY EMBARRASSED AND MORTIFIED THAT I COULD HAVE MADE SUCH AN ERROR.

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.