Narrative:

As we taxied from our gate in clt, ramp control gave us clearance to taxi to spot X and contact ground when approaching, and was complied with. Ground control was contacted at spot X and they gave the clearance to 'taxi via taxiway F, taxiway M, and taxiway east to runway 36L and give way to the dash 8 from the left on taxiway M' and was read back by the captain. The first officer was responding to a call from the flight attendant at this time stating that the cabin was ready for takeoff. As we proceeded south on taxiway F approximately 75 ft from taxiway M, simultaneously the first officer was talking in my one ear stating that he was back on communication #1 while responding to ATC's new instruction to 'give way to the dash on the left and hold short of taxiway M.' as I read this back to ground control, ground immediately came back and said 'no, I don't want you to give way to the dash.' hearing this, and as I was already starting to slow for taxiway M, it was already too close and too late to stop for taxiway M and as we rolled into the intersection brought the aircraft to a stop, informed the controller that his last instruction was confusing and asked him for further clarification. He then told us to turn 'right on taxiway M, left on taxiway east, and short of runway 5' and we complied with. I believe the ground controller had intentions of sequencing both the dash 8 and the embraer 145 jet that was several hundred ft behind the dash in front of us because as we held short of runway 5 both aircraft taxied by us south on taxiway F. I think this incident could have been avoided if the ground controller's instructions were more clear, like 'I need you to now hold short of taxiway M if you can,' and by giving the instruction sooner. Also, if both pilots were on communication #1 we would have realized that it was given too late and we would have said unable to hold short of taxiway M.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW AND ATC MISCOMS DURING TAXI.

Narrative: AS WE TAXIED FROM OUR GATE IN CLT, RAMP CTL GAVE US CLRNC TO TAXI TO SPOT X AND CONTACT GND WHEN APCHING, AND WAS COMPLIED WITH. GND CTL WAS CONTACTED AT SPOT X AND THEY GAVE THE CLRNC TO 'TAXI VIA TXWY F, TXWY M, AND TXWY E TO RWY 36L AND GIVE WAY TO THE DASH 8 FROM THE L ON TXWY M' AND WAS READ BACK BY THE CAPT. THE FO WAS RESPONDING TO A CALL FROM THE FLT ATTENDANT AT THIS TIME STATING THAT THE CABIN WAS READY FOR TKOF. AS WE PROCEEDED S ON TXWY F APPROX 75 FT FROM TXWY M, SIMULTANEOUSLY THE FO WAS TALKING IN MY ONE EAR STATING THAT HE WAS BACK ON COM #1 WHILE RESPONDING TO ATC'S NEW INSTRUCTION TO 'GIVE WAY TO THE DASH ON THE L AND HOLD SHORT OF TXWY M.' AS I READ THIS BACK TO GND CTL, GND IMMEDIATELY CAME BACK AND SAID 'NO, I DON'T WANT YOU TO GIVE WAY TO THE DASH.' HEARING THIS, AND AS I WAS ALREADY STARTING TO SLOW FOR TXWY M, IT WAS ALREADY TOO CLOSE AND TOO LATE TO STOP FOR TXWY M AND AS WE ROLLED INTO THE INTXN BROUGHT THE ACFT TO A STOP, INFORMED THE CTLR THAT HIS LAST INSTRUCTION WAS CONFUSING AND ASKED HIM FOR FURTHER CLARIFICATION. HE THEN TOLD US TO TURN 'R ON TXWY M, L ON TXWY E, AND SHORT OF RWY 5' AND WE COMPLIED WITH. I BELIEVE THE GND CTLR HAD INTENTIONS OF SEQUENCING BOTH THE DASH 8 AND THE EMBRAER 145 JET THAT WAS SEVERAL HUNDRED FT BEHIND THE DASH IN FRONT OF US BECAUSE AS WE HELD SHORT OF RWY 5 BOTH ACFT TAXIED BY US S ON TXWY F. I THINK THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE GND CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS WERE MORE CLR, LIKE 'I NEED YOU TO NOW HOLD SHORT OF TXWY M IF YOU CAN,' AND BY GIVING THE INSTRUCTION SOONER. ALSO, IF BOTH PLTS WERE ON COM #1 WE WOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT IT WAS GIVEN TOO LATE AND WE WOULD HAVE SAID UNABLE TO HOLD SHORT OF TXWY M.

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.