Narrative:

After an early evening landing on runway 27 at bos, I exited the runway at high speed taxiway east and was told to hold short of runway 22L. Outside conditions were late dusk (almost no sunlight) and clear skies. After holding short of runway 22L for approximately 3 seconds, tower instructed us to cross runway 22L and hold short of runway 22R, give way to an embraer. As I crossed runway 22L, I noticed an aircraft ahead of us on taxiway east toward runway 22R hold short line. It was dark and type of aircraft was not easily distinguished. It was a commuter plane. I assumed the aircraft was the embraer jet, so I concentrated on clearing the runway 22L hold short lines to be clear of an active runway. My first officer reported no other aircraft in his sight except the previously mentioned aircraft. As I cleared the runway 22L hold short line, the tower instructed me to 'stop.' I did so and was told the embraer was off our right. The aircraft was approaching from our right rear blind spot on taxiway P after landing on runway 22L. He stopped short of taxiway east after noticing our aircraft not giving way. Both my first officer and I did not see him and both incorrectly idented the aircraft ahead as our traffic. Aircraft clearance was approximately 50 ft at the closest point. The tower instructed us to continue taxi and no further incidents occurred. Factors contributing to this event were ATC issuing unclr instructions as to where the aircraft was coming from and during a high workload time for crew, failure of crew to ask for clarification of traffic's position, night visibility conditions, use of multiple frequencys for aircraft in close proximity (jet was on other frequency), and captain's concentration on crossing active runway as soon as possible when issued crossing instructions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-200 CREW AND EMBRAER HAD A CLOSE ENCOUNTER WHILE TAXIING AT BOS.

Narrative: AFTER AN EARLY EVENING LNDG ON RWY 27 AT BOS, I EXITED THE RWY AT HIGH SPD TXWY E AND WAS TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 22L. OUTSIDE CONDITIONS WERE LATE DUSK (ALMOST NO SUNLIGHT) AND CLR SKIES. AFTER HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 22L FOR APPROX 3 SECONDS, TWR INSTRUCTED US TO CROSS RWY 22L AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 22R, GIVE WAY TO AN EMBRAER. AS I CROSSED RWY 22L, I NOTICED AN ACFT AHEAD OF US ON TXWY E TOWARD RWY 22R HOLD SHORT LINE. IT WAS DARK AND TYPE OF ACFT WAS NOT EASILY DISTINGUISHED. IT WAS A COMMUTER PLANE. I ASSUMED THE ACFT WAS THE EMBRAER JET, SO I CONCENTRATED ON CLRING THE RWY 22L HOLD SHORT LINES TO BE CLR OF AN ACTIVE RWY. MY FO RPTED NO OTHER ACFT IN HIS SIGHT EXCEPT THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED ACFT. AS I CLRED THE RWY 22L HOLD SHORT LINE, THE TWR INSTRUCTED ME TO 'STOP.' I DID SO AND WAS TOLD THE EMBRAER WAS OFF OUR R. THE ACFT WAS APCHING FROM OUR R REAR BLIND SPOT ON TXWY P AFTER LNDG ON RWY 22L. HE STOPPED SHORT OF TXWY E AFTER NOTICING OUR ACFT NOT GIVING WAY. BOTH MY FO AND I DID NOT SEE HIM AND BOTH INCORRECTLY IDENTED THE ACFT AHEAD AS OUR TFC. ACFT CLRNC WAS APPROX 50 FT AT THE CLOSEST POINT. THE TWR INSTRUCTED US TO CONTINUE TAXI AND NO FURTHER INCIDENTS OCCURRED. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS EVENT WERE ATC ISSUING UNCLR INSTRUCTIONS AS TO WHERE THE ACFT WAS COMING FROM AND DURING A HIGH WORKLOAD TIME FOR CREW, FAILURE OF CREW TO ASK FOR CLARIFICATION OF TFC'S POS, NIGHT VISIBILITY CONDITIONS, USE OF MULTIPLE FREQS FOR ACFT IN CLOSE PROX (JET WAS ON OTHER FREQ), AND CAPT'S CONCENTRATION ON XING ACTIVE RWY ASAP WHEN ISSUED XING INSTRUCTIONS.

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.