Narrative:

Runway 19 at teb is 500 ft longer than the 'active runway' runway 24. We elected to request the longer runway for departure. During the taxi to runway 24, I requested runway 19 and the controller responded, 'we have your request.' we were cleared to cross runway 24 and wait in the runup area between runways 24 and 19. Normally, the ground controller says to 'monitor the tower' at this point, but no such instructions were given. I monitored the ground frequency and the PF monitored both tower and ground. After a short wait, I heard the PF announce, '...position and hold runway 19.' I never heard the tower instructions, only the PF's response. We began to take position on the runway and were confronted by a citation back-taxiing toward us. Assuming he had made the error, we maneuvered around him and pressed on. After a bit of confusion, the tower asked us which runway we were on. 'Runway 19 as instructed' was my response. 'I didn't realize you wanted runway 19, I thought you were cleared onto runway 24,' the controller said. Some assumptions were made by me: 1) I had requested runway 19 and assumed we would get it. 2) the PF -- who I have flown with for over 10 yrs and trust very much -- was the only one to hear the tower call and I assumed he heard what he said he heard. In retrospect, I should have: 1) also listened to the frequency, assumed something was not right when confronted with the oncoming citation, and 3) although the ground controller said he had our request confirmed that what we wanted was really what we were given. Looking back through a few other NASA reports I have filed over the yrs, I have discovered a pattern: all have been related to the 'other' pilot mishearing ATC instructions while I was busy with other tasks, and I assuming the other pilot understood correctly. I will never assume again. Supplemental information from acn 532155: the lesson learned is -- don't monitor 2 frequencys at one time, and to get a clarification as to which frequency should be monitored even if it is nearly impossible to get through on an over saturated frequency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE WAITING THEIR TURN TO DEPART, AN IA-1125 CAPT, MONITORING BOTH THE LCL AND GND FREQS, TAXIED INTO POS WHEN HE THOUGHT HE HEARD AN INSTRUCTION FROM THE TWR.

Narrative: RWY 19 AT TEB IS 500 FT LONGER THAN THE 'ACTIVE RWY' RWY 24. WE ELECTED TO REQUEST THE LONGER RWY FOR DEP. DURING THE TAXI TO RWY 24, I REQUESTED RWY 19 AND THE CTLR RESPONDED, 'WE HAVE YOUR REQUEST.' WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS RWY 24 AND WAIT IN THE RUNUP AREA BTWN RWYS 24 AND 19. NORMALLY, THE GND CTLR SAYS TO 'MONITOR THE TWR' AT THIS POINT, BUT NO SUCH INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN. I MONITORED THE GND FREQ AND THE PF MONITORED BOTH TWR AND GND. AFTER A SHORT WAIT, I HEARD THE PF ANNOUNCE, '...POS AND HOLD RWY 19.' I NEVER HEARD THE TWR INSTRUCTIONS, ONLY THE PF'S RESPONSE. WE BEGAN TO TAKE POS ON THE RWY AND WERE CONFRONTED BY A CITATION BACK-TAXIING TOWARD US. ASSUMING HE HAD MADE THE ERROR, WE MANEUVERED AROUND HIM AND PRESSED ON. AFTER A BIT OF CONFUSION, THE TWR ASKED US WHICH RWY WE WERE ON. 'RWY 19 AS INSTRUCTED' WAS MY RESPONSE. 'I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU WANTED RWY 19, I THOUGHT YOU WERE CLRED ONTO RWY 24,' THE CTLR SAID. SOME ASSUMPTIONS WERE MADE BY ME: 1) I HAD REQUESTED RWY 19 AND ASSUMED WE WOULD GET IT. 2) THE PF -- WHO I HAVE FLOWN WITH FOR OVER 10 YRS AND TRUST VERY MUCH -- WAS THE ONLY ONE TO HEAR THE TWR CALL AND I ASSUMED HE HEARD WHAT HE SAID HE HEARD. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE: 1) ALSO LISTENED TO THE FREQ, ASSUMED SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT WHEN CONFRONTED WITH THE ONCOMING CITATION, AND 3) ALTHOUGH THE GND CTLR SAID HE HAD OUR REQUEST CONFIRMED THAT WHAT WE WANTED WAS REALLY WHAT WE WERE GIVEN. LOOKING BACK THROUGH A FEW OTHER NASA RPTS I HAVE FILED OVER THE YRS, I HAVE DISCOVERED A PATTERN: ALL HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE 'OTHER' PLT MISHEARING ATC INSTRUCTIONS WHILE I WAS BUSY WITH OTHER TASKS, AND I ASSUMING THE OTHER PLT UNDERSTOOD CORRECTLY. I WILL NEVER ASSUME AGAIN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 532155: THE LESSON LEARNED IS -- DON'T MONITOR 2 FREQS AT ONE TIME, AND TO GET A CLARIFICATION AS TO WHICH FREQ SHOULD BE MONITORED EVEN IF IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THROUGH ON AN OVER SATURATED FREQ.

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.