Narrative:

The first officer normally handles all radio communications on the ground, but at this moment he was briefing the passenger for takeoff over the PA system. I (the captain) heard the tower issue a 'taxi into position and hold' clearance to what I believed to be our aircraft. This clearance was issued while we were still about 2000 ft from the end of the runway. However, since we were #1 for takeoff, it appeared to be meant for our aircraft. I responded with the readback 'position and hold, runway 12R,' followed by our call sign and flight number. Although we noticed a landing aircraft inside the OM, we taxied into position on the runway and held for approximately 15-30 seconds when the tower asked us to clear the runway. After exiting the runway, the other aircraft landed. We made the short taxi back to the end of runway 12R and we were cleared for takeoff. After this possible runway incursion took place, ATC didn't give any indication that an error on our part was made. We were not sure whether this was because we were not at fault or if the tower controller just wanted to listen to the ATC tapes to verify that we were to blame before taking action against us. After thorough mental review of this event, I am still unsure of fault. I know that I read back a clearance of position and hold on runway 12R. I do not know if the controller intended that transmission for us and just forgot that it had been issued (we read it back about 30 seconds before we reached the end of the runway) or if I mistakenly answered for some other aircraft which I had not noticed. If this was the case then perhaps we both read back the clearance at the same time and it was a blocked transmission to the controller.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL65 FLC HAS RWY INCURSION AT MSP.

Narrative: THE FO NORMALLY HANDLES ALL RADIO COMS ON THE GND, BUT AT THIS MOMENT HE WAS BRIEFING THE PAX FOR TKOF OVER THE PA SYS. I (THE CAPT) HEARD THE TWR ISSUE A 'TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD' CLRNC TO WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE OUR ACFT. THIS CLRNC WAS ISSUED WHILE WE WERE STILL ABOUT 2000 FT FROM THE END OF THE RWY. HOWEVER, SINCE WE WERE #1 FOR TKOF, IT APPEARED TO BE MEANT FOR OUR ACFT. I RESPONDED WITH THE READBACK 'POS AND HOLD, RWY 12R,' FOLLOWED BY OUR CALL SIGN AND FLT NUMBER. ALTHOUGH WE NOTICED A LNDG ACFT INSIDE THE OM, WE TAXIED INTO POS ON THE RWY AND HELD FOR APPROX 15-30 SECONDS WHEN THE TWR ASKED US TO CLR THE RWY. AFTER EXITING THE RWY, THE OTHER ACFT LANDED. WE MADE THE SHORT TAXI BACK TO THE END OF RWY 12R AND WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. AFTER THIS POSSIBLE RWY INCURSION TOOK PLACE, ATC DIDN'T GIVE ANY INDICATION THAT AN ERROR ON OUR PART WAS MADE. WE WERE NOT SURE WHETHER THIS WAS BECAUSE WE WERE NOT AT FAULT OR IF THE TWR CTLR JUST WANTED TO LISTEN TO THE ATC TAPES TO VERIFY THAT WE WERE TO BLAME BEFORE TAKING ACTION AGAINST US. AFTER THOROUGH MENTAL REVIEW OF THIS EVENT, I AM STILL UNSURE OF FAULT. I KNOW THAT I READ BACK A CLRNC OF POS AND HOLD ON RWY 12R. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE CTLR INTENDED THAT XMISSION FOR US AND JUST FORGOT THAT IT HAD BEEN ISSUED (WE READ IT BACK ABOUT 30 SECONDS BEFORE WE REACHED THE END OF THE RWY) OR IF I MISTAKENLY ANSWERED FOR SOME OTHER ACFT WHICH I HAD NOT NOTICED. IF THIS WAS THE CASE THEN PERHAPS WE BOTH READ BACK THE CLRNC AT THE SAME TIME AND IT WAS A BLOCKED XMISSION TO 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.