Narrative:

Ground control issued taxi instructions to hold short of runway 12L on taxiway C. While holding short, ground control handed us over to tower control. Tower cleared us to cross runway 12L onto runway 12R. This clearance had us cross runway 12L and runway 17. After crossing both runways, we held short of runway 12R, just briefly, so I could verify with my first officer that we were indeed cleared onto runway 12R. We both agreed that we were cleared onto runway 12R. I crossed the hold short line for runway 12R and continued onto taxiway C which led into the displaced threshold for runway 12R. From the hold short line for runway 12R to the displaced threshold is about 200 ft or so, about 20 seconds of taxi time. While on the displaced threshold and aligning the aircraft, tower cleared us 'into position and cleared to take off on runway 12R. An uneventful takeoff and departure was made, followed by a normal landing at our destination. Tower never questioned our position crossing the hold short line for runway 12R or as we positioned ourselves onto the displaced threshold. It just seemed that as we were positioned on the runway we were being told to position and cleared for takeoff. The fact that nothing was said by tower, and there was no aircraft on final makes me think that we were where we were told to be. Hind sight always being 20/20, I should have asked the control tower as well after querying with my first officer before taxiing onto the displaced threshold for runway 12R. Also we should have clarified with the tower controller on the phrase 'cleared to cross runway 12L onto runway 12R.' that was not standard phraseology, and possibly we both misunderstood the taxi instruction. The controller could have instructed us to 'cross runway 12L to runway 12R.' either way we should have clarified the instructions with the controller.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL65 CAPT WAS NOT SURE HE HAD CLRNC INTO POS AT HOU.

Narrative: GND CTL ISSUED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 12L ON TXWY C. WHILE HOLDING SHORT, GND CTL HANDED US OVER TO TWR CTL. TWR CLRED US TO CROSS RWY 12L ONTO RWY 12R. THIS CLRNC HAD US CROSS RWY 12L AND RWY 17. AFTER XING BOTH RWYS, WE HELD SHORT OF RWY 12R, JUST BRIEFLY, SO I COULD VERIFY WITH MY FO THAT WE WERE INDEED CLRED ONTO RWY 12R. WE BOTH AGREED THAT WE WERE CLRED ONTO RWY 12R. I CROSSED THE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 12R AND CONTINUED ONTO TXWY C WHICH LED INTO THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD FOR RWY 12R. FROM THE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 12R TO THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD IS ABOUT 200 FT OR SO, ABOUT 20 SECONDS OF TAXI TIME. WHILE ON THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD AND ALIGNING THE ACFT, TWR CLRED US 'INTO POS AND CLRED TO TAKE OFF ON RWY 12R. AN UNEVENTFUL TKOF AND DEP WAS MADE, FOLLOWED BY A NORMAL LNDG AT OUR DEST. TWR NEVER QUESTIONED OUR POS XING THE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 12R OR AS WE POSITIONED OURSELVES ONTO THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD. IT JUST SEEMED THAT AS WE WERE POSITIONED ON THE RWY WE WERE BEING TOLD TO POS AND CLRED FOR TKOF. THE FACT THAT NOTHING WAS SAID BY TWR, AND THERE WAS NO ACFT ON FINAL MAKES ME THINK THAT WE WERE WHERE WE WERE TOLD TO BE. HIND SIGHT ALWAYS BEING 20/20, I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THE CTL TWR AS WELL AFTER QUERYING WITH MY FO BEFORE TAXIING ONTO THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD FOR RWY 12R. ALSO WE SHOULD HAVE CLARIFIED WITH THE TWR CTLR ON THE PHRASE 'CLRED TO CROSS RWY 12L ONTO RWY 12R.' THAT WAS NOT STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY, AND POSSIBLY WE BOTH MISUNDERSTOOD THE TAXI INSTRUCTION. THE CTLR COULD HAVE INSTRUCTED US TO 'CROSS RWY 12L TO RWY 12R.' EITHER WAY WE SHOULD HAVE CLARIFIED THE INSTRUCTIONS WITH THE CTLR.

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.