Narrative:

Cleared by ground control to taxi via 'C1' to hold short runway 4L. As we turned from taxiway T onto taxiway C1, ground said 'cross runway 4L, contact tower, squawk abcd.' responded, 'cross runway 4L, tower on the other side, and was the squawk abcd?' 'negative, squawk abcz.' we verbally stated the runway was clear before crossing runway 4L, then switched to tower frequency. Tower was calling us, and we responded. She said 'you have just crossed runway 4L without a clearance.' I replied, 'negative, ground cleared us to cross runway 4L, then contact tower.' she said, 'you must have misunderstood him, because only the tower can clear you to cross the runway.' I responded 'ok.' all 3 of us (captain, first officer, relief pilot) heard the clearance to cross, and I very clearly read back that clearance. However, what it the ground controller said 'to cross runway 4L contact tower 118.7, squawk abcz?' maybe the 'to' in 'to cross' did not come across the radio? Our company provides a special note about crossing runway 4L at taxiway C1. It says you must have ATC clearance. I assumed that meant either ground or tower. As I said, we visually cleared the runway prior to crossing, as is company policy. The only traffic was just turning final about 4 mi out. The language barrier was definitely a player if we did err. I am hoping she replays the tape and hears ground clearing us. However, if it is their rule that only tower can clear for a runway crossing, this may prove to be our error. I hope not. I will advise our company that tower is the only runway crossing authority/authorized. This would have been nice to know.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 CREW BELIEVED THE GND CTLR AT LFMN ISSUED A CLRNC TO CROSS RWY 4L BUT WERE ADVISED AFTER XING ONLY THE LCL TWR CTLR CAN GIVE THAT CLRNC.

Narrative: CLRED BY GND CTL TO TAXI VIA 'C1' TO HOLD SHORT RWY 4L. AS WE TURNED FROM TXWY T ONTO TXWY C1, GND SAID 'CROSS RWY 4L, CONTACT TWR, SQUAWK ABCD.' RESPONDED, 'CROSS RWY 4L, TWR ON THE OTHER SIDE, AND WAS THE SQUAWK ABCD?' 'NEGATIVE, SQUAWK ABCZ.' WE VERBALLY STATED THE RWY WAS CLR BEFORE XING RWY 4L, THEN SWITCHED TO TWR FREQ. TWR WAS CALLING US, AND WE RESPONDED. SHE SAID 'YOU HAVE JUST CROSSED RWY 4L WITHOUT A CLRNC.' I REPLIED, 'NEGATIVE, GND CLRED US TO CROSS RWY 4L, THEN CONTACT TWR.' SHE SAID, 'YOU MUST HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD HIM, BECAUSE ONLY THE TWR CAN CLR YOU TO CROSS THE RWY.' I RESPONDED 'OK.' ALL 3 OF US (CAPT, FO, RELIEF PLT) HEARD THE CLRNC TO CROSS, AND I VERY CLRLY READ BACK THAT CLRNC. HOWEVER, WHAT IT THE GND CTLR SAID 'TO CROSS RWY 4L CONTACT TWR 118.7, SQUAWK ABCZ?' MAYBE THE 'TO' IN 'TO CROSS' DID NOT COME ACROSS THE RADIO? OUR COMPANY PROVIDES A SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT XING RWY 4L AT TXWY C1. IT SAYS YOU MUST HAVE ATC CLRNC. I ASSUMED THAT MEANT EITHER GND OR TWR. AS I SAID, WE VISUALLY CLRED THE RWY PRIOR TO XING, AS IS COMPANY POLICY. THE ONLY TFC WAS JUST TURNING FINAL ABOUT 4 MI OUT. THE LANGUAGE BARRIER WAS DEFINITELY A PLAYER IF WE DID ERR. I AM HOPING SHE REPLAYS THE TAPE AND HEARS GND CLRING US. HOWEVER, IF IT IS THEIR RULE THAT ONLY TWR CAN CLR FOR A RWY XING, THIS MAY PROVE TO BE OUR ERROR. I HOPE NOT. I WILL ADVISE OUR COMPANY THAT TWR IS THE ONLY RWY XING AUTH. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO KNOW.

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.