Narrative:

After pushback from the gate we contacted la ground control on frequency 121.75. The frequency had a lot of traffic on it and it was difficult to obtain a taxi clearance. When we finally got in touch with ground control, we were told to expect runway 24L. We were positioned facing south. Taxiway C8 was in front of us. The ground controller instructed us to turn right on taxiway B followed by another right on taxiway P, followed by an unclr transmission. We proceeded to turn right on taxiway B. While on taxiway B I asked the first officer to confirm the taxi instructions after our right turn onto taxiway P. The first officer contacted ground to request the instructions again after taxiway P. The controller gave us a new instruction to hold short of taxiway P to give way to a G4 at txwys P and B. Once the G4 passed us, to follow him north on taxiway Q to runway 24L. While following the G4 north on taxiway Q and crossing taxiway D ground told us to contact north ground control on frequency 121.65. Upon checking in with north ground, the controller informed us that we should have held short of taxiway D while we were on taxiway Q, but to continue with a right turn on twy east and follow a B747 to runway 24L. We apologized to the controller for not holding short, and he accepted our apology. The first officer and I were confused and discussed the original clearance given by the south controller. We both agreed no hold short instruction was assigned and none was read back. We decided to ask the north ground controller how we were to know to hold short of taxiway D. He said it is written in under the north route. Again we apologized and the controller said it was not a problem. We also explained we were new to the lax airport environment. The first officer and I continued to discuss the instructions by the south controller and determined that a route, or 'north route' was not mentioned or assigned. Had a taxi route been used by the controller as a term, we would have at least requested more information. By asking the controller or searching through our commercial charts. I feel a break down in communication was responsible for this situation. I also believe the controller assumed we were familiar with the procedures, due to the fact our airline has served lax for quite a while now. However, this was my second time going to the north complex in a yr and it was the first officer's first time. As a crew lax was new to us. I also feel that the congestion on the ground frequencys played a role in the situation as well.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CREW, TAXIING FOR TKOF AT LAX, FAILED TO CONTACT N GND CTL AT THE DESIGNATED CHK POINT AND FAILED TO HOLD SHORT OF A DESIGNATED TXWY.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHBACK FROM THE GATE WE CONTACTED LA GND CTL ON FREQ 121.75. THE FREQ HAD A LOT OF TFC ON IT AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN A TAXI CLRNC. WHEN WE FINALLY GOT IN TOUCH WITH GND CTL, WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT RWY 24L. WE WERE POSITIONED FACING S. TXWY C8 WAS IN FRONT OF US. THE GND CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO TURN R ON TXWY B FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER R ON TXWY P, FOLLOWED BY AN UNCLR XMISSION. WE PROCEEDED TO TURN R ON TXWY B. WHILE ON TXWY B I ASKED THE FO TO CONFIRM THE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS AFTER OUR R TURN ONTO TXWY P. THE FO CONTACTED GND TO REQUEST THE INSTRUCTIONS AGAIN AFTER TXWY P. THE CTLR GAVE US A NEW INSTRUCTION TO HOLD SHORT OF TXWY P TO GIVE WAY TO A G4 AT TXWYS P AND B. ONCE THE G4 PASSED US, TO FOLLOW HIM N ON TXWY Q TO RWY 24L. WHILE FOLLOWING THE G4 N ON TXWY Q AND XING TXWY D GND TOLD US TO CONTACT N GND CTL ON FREQ 121.65. UPON CHKING IN WITH N GND, THE CTLR INFORMED US THAT WE SHOULD HAVE HELD SHORT OF TXWY D WHILE WE WERE ON TXWY Q, BUT TO CONTINUE WITH A R TURN ON TWY E AND FOLLOW A B747 TO RWY 24L. WE APOLOGIZED TO THE CTLR FOR NOT HOLDING SHORT, AND HE ACCEPTED OUR APOLOGY. THE FO AND I WERE CONFUSED AND DISCUSSED THE ORIGINAL CLRNC GIVEN BY THE S CTLR. WE BOTH AGREED NO HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTION WAS ASSIGNED AND NONE WAS READ BACK. WE DECIDED TO ASK THE N GND CTLR HOW WE WERE TO KNOW TO HOLD SHORT OF TXWY D. HE SAID IT IS WRITTEN IN UNDER THE N RTE. AGAIN WE APOLOGIZED AND THE CTLR SAID IT WAS NOT A PROB. WE ALSO EXPLAINED WE WERE NEW TO THE LAX ARPT ENVIRONMENT. THE FO AND I CONTINUED TO DISCUSS THE INSTRUCTIONS BY THE S CTLR AND DETERMINED THAT A RTE, OR 'N RTE' WAS NOT MENTIONED OR ASSIGNED. HAD A TAXI RTE BEEN USED BY THE CTLR AS A TERM, WE WOULD HAVE AT LEAST REQUESTED MORE INFO. BY ASKING THE CTLR OR SEARCHING THROUGH OUR COMMERCIAL CHARTS. I FEEL A BREAK DOWN IN COM WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SIT. I ALSO BELIEVE THE CTLR ASSUMED WE WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCS, DUE TO THE FACT OUR AIRLINE HAS SERVED LAX FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW. HOWEVER, THIS WAS MY SECOND TIME GOING TO THE N COMPLEX IN A YR AND IT WAS THE FO'S FIRST TIME. AS A CREW LAX WAS NEW TO US. I ALSO FEEL THAT THE CONGESTION ON THE GND FREQS PLAYED A ROLE IN THE SIT AS WELL.

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.