HS25 in syr traffic pattern question tower about aircraft in position on runway while on approach.

Attributes
ACN	518586
Time
Date	200107
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : syr.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : syr.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : position and hold
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : syr.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 130
ASRS Report	518586
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical ground encounters other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : executed go around flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 100 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

We were cleared into position and hold on runway 10 at syr. Prior to this, we noticed an aircraft doing a low approach to runway 10 along with other planes operating off of runway 15/33. It appeared that aircraft Y was flying local transition training. We waited in position approximately 3 mins when aircraft Y asked tower 'is that an aircraft on the runway?' the tower replied, 'yes, aircraft Y go around and make a left 360 degree turn.' approximately 10 seconds later, we saw that aircraft overhead and turning left. After this occurred, we were cleared for takeoff. When we asked syr tower if aircraft Y knew we were holding in position. They said 'no, aircraft Y was 12 mi out when we cleared them to land.' we do not know what would have happened if that aircraft had not seen us waiting in position on the runway. Aircraft Z witnessed this and said that aircraft Y executed their low approach at approximately 200-300 ft on final. Cause: tower forgot about us. Solution: tower be more diligent. Tower not put us onto hold on an active runway unless they will issue takeoff clearance within 30 seconds. Company change procedures and allow pilots to turn on strobes when on an active runway because all other lights blend in with runway environment when aircraft is holding in position.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HS25 IN SYR TFC PATTERN QUESTION TWR ABOUT ACFT IN POS ON RWY WHILE ON APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 10 AT SYR. PRIOR TO THIS, WE NOTICED AN ACFT DOING A LOW APCH TO RWY 10 ALONG WITH OTHER PLANES OPERATING OFF OF RWY 15/33. IT APPEARED THAT ACFT Y WAS FLYING LCL TRANSITION TRAINING. WE WAITED IN POS APPROX 3 MINS WHEN ACFT Y ASKED TWR 'IS THAT AN ACFT ON THE RWY?' THE TWR REPLIED, 'YES, ACFT Y GO AROUND AND MAKE A L 360 DEG TURN.' APPROX 10 SECONDS LATER, WE SAW THAT ACFT OVERHEAD AND TURNING L. AFTER THIS OCCURRED, WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. WHEN WE ASKED SYR TWR IF ACFT Y KNEW WE WERE HOLDING IN POS. THEY SAID 'NO, ACFT Y WAS 12 MI OUT WHEN WE CLRED THEM TO LAND.' WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THAT ACFT HAD NOT SEEN US WAITING IN POS ON THE RWY. ACFT Z WITNESSED THIS AND SAID THAT ACFT Y EXECUTED THEIR LOW APCH AT APPROX 200-300 FT ON FINAL. CAUSE: TWR FORGOT ABOUT US. SOLUTION: TWR BE MORE DILIGENT. TWR NOT PUT US ONTO HOLD ON AN ACTIVE RWY UNLESS THEY WILL ISSUE TKOF CLRNC WITHIN 30 SECONDS. COMPANY CHANGE PROCS AND ALLOW PLTS TO TURN ON STROBES WHEN ON AN ACTIVE RWY BECAUSE ALL OTHER LIGHTS BLEND IN WITH RWY ENVIRONMENT WHEN ACFT IS HOLDING IN POS.

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.