Narrative:

At XA38 we had a near miss on the taxiway at ord. We were given taxi instructions to runway 32L at T10. While on taxiway a, we were instructed by ground control to turn left on A7. About the time we were turning left on A7, we were cleared to taxi on A7 with a left on T to T10. At the same time we were told to switch to tower frequency and monitor that frequency. To get to T from A7 we would have to cross B. Just prior to crossing B, the pilot in the right seat not flying said 'stop!' before I could react, the PNF had applied maximum brakes. From our right I saw the airliner also came to a stop. The high-wing, twin jet (possibly a D328) left wing was between 5 and 10 ft from our nose. The twin jet then taxied across in front of us. We proceeded across B to T and then T10 at runway 32L for departure. Neither pilot in our aircraft saw the other aircraft until the last moment. The pilot not flying did see it before I did. It appeared that the airline jet did not have a taxi light on. I did notice the other aircraft did have its position lights on. We were not notified of any other taxiing traffic when told to monitor tower frequency. I believe the other aircraft was an inbound and so on a different frequency. I heard no transmissions to or from the other aircraft. The time ground hands off to tower is a critical time. Since other taxiing aircraft may be on different frequencies, it appears that the only way to ensure there is not a conflicting aircraft, is to look carefully. At night this is especially critical. One must not assume a clearance will release from the responsibility and necessity of see and avoid.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA31 PLT EXECUTES EMER STOP FOR D328 ON CROSSING TXWY AT ORD.

Narrative: AT XA38 WE HAD A NEAR MISS ON THE TXWY AT ORD. WE WERE GIVEN TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO RWY 32L AT T10. WHILE ON TXWY A, WE WERE INSTRUCTED BY GND CTL TO TURN L ON A7. ABOUT THE TIME WE WERE TURNING L ON A7, WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI ON A7 WITH A L ON T TO T10. AT THE SAME TIME WE WERE TOLD TO SWITCH TO TWR FREQUENCY AND MONITOR THAT FREQUENCY. TO GET TO T FROM A7 WE WOULD HAVE TO CROSS B. JUST PRIOR TO CROSSING B, THE PLT IN THE RIGHT SEAT NOT FLYING SAID 'STOP!' BEFORE I COULD REACT, THE PNF HAD APPLIED MAXIMUM BRAKES. FROM OUR RIGHT I SAW THE AIRLINER ALSO CAME TO A STOP. THE HIGH-WING, TWIN JET (POSSIBLY A D328) L WING WAS BETWEEN 5 AND 10 FT FROM OUR NOSE. THE TWIN JET THEN TAXIED ACROSS IN FRONT OF US. WE PROCEEDED ACROSS B TO T AND THEN T10 AT RWY 32L FOR DEP. NEITHER PLT IN OUR ACFT SAW THE OTHER ACFT UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT. THE PLT NOT FLYING DID SEE IT BEFORE I DID. IT APPEARED THAT THE AIRLINE JET DID NOT HAVE A TAXI LIGHT ON. I DID NOTICE THE OTHER ACFT DID HAVE ITS POS LIGHTS ON. WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF ANY OTHER TAXIING TFC WHEN TOLD TO MONITOR TWR FREQUENCY. I BELIEVE THE OTHER ACFT WAS AN INBOUND AND SO ON A DIFFERENT FREQUENCY. I HEARD NO TRANSMISSIONS TO OR FROM THE OTHER ACFT. THE TIME GND HANDS OFF TO TWR IS A CRITICAL TIME. SINCE OTHER TAXIING ACFT MAY BE ON DIFFERENT FREQUENCIES, IT APPEARS THAT THE ONLY WAY TO ENSURE THERE IS NOT A CONFLICTING ACFT, IS TO LOOK CAREFULLY. AT NIGHT THIS IS ESPECIALLY CRITICAL. ONE MUST NOT ASSUME A CLRNC WILL RELEASE FROM THE RESPONSIBILITY AND NECESSITY OF SEE AND AVOID.

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.