Narrative:

As we switched to tower to depart runway 7L at eddf, the tower controller apparently intended for us to taxi up to the runway and hold short on our choice of either left, 'east,' or left, 'west.' I don't remember the terms he used, but I'm pretty sure he used the term 'line up.' not one of us in the cockpit had any doubt that we were cleared on to the runway. In my readback, I mentioned taxiing onto the runway. I don't remember the terminology I used. As we taxied onto the runway, I mentioned to the captain and relief pilot that there was an aircraft on final. We all saw it and were not concerned as there seemed to be plenty of room for us to take off ahead of him. We expected a takeoff clearance, instead, tower asked us either if we were holding short, or he asked if we were taxiing onto the runway, I don't remember how he worded the question. We said we were on the runway and he then sent the other aircraft around. I told tower that I had read back our intentions to taxi onto the runway. He said that the end of my transmission had been garbled. Supplemental information from acn 583396: tower issued instructions to an aircraft on 3 mi final to go around by this time. Nothing else was said and tower issued us a takeoff clearance shortly after the go around. All 3 of us heard a line up phrase to us from tower when we checked in.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B777 FLT CREW AT EDDF ENTERED RWY WITHOUT ATC CLRNC BECAUSE OF PHRASEOLOGY CONFUSION.

Narrative: AS WE SWITCHED TO TWR TO DEPART RWY 7L AT EDDF, THE TWR CTLR APPARENTLY INTENDED FOR US TO TAXI UP TO THE RWY AND HOLD SHORT ON OUR CHOICE OF EITHER L, 'E,' OR L, 'W.' I DON'T REMEMBER THE TERMS HE USED, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE HE USED THE TERM 'LINE UP.' NOT ONE OF US IN THE COCKPIT HAD ANY DOUBT THAT WE WERE CLRED ON TO THE RWY. IN MY READBACK, I MENTIONED TAXIING ONTO THE RWY. I DON'T REMEMBER THE TERMINOLOGY I USED. AS WE TAXIED ONTO THE RWY, I MENTIONED TO THE CAPT AND RELIEF PLT THAT THERE WAS AN ACFT ON FINAL. WE ALL SAW IT AND WERE NOT CONCERNED AS THERE SEEMED TO BE PLENTY OF ROOM FOR US TO TAKE OFF AHEAD OF HIM. WE EXPECTED A TKOF CLRNC, INSTEAD, TWR ASKED US EITHER IF WE WERE HOLDING SHORT, OR HE ASKED IF WE WERE TAXIING ONTO THE RWY, I DON'T REMEMBER HOW HE WORDED THE QUESTION. WE SAID WE WERE ON THE RWY AND HE THEN SENT THE OTHER ACFT AROUND. I TOLD TWR THAT I HAD READ BACK OUR INTENTIONS TO TAXI ONTO THE RWY. HE SAID THAT THE END OF MY XMISSION HAD BEEN GARBLED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 583396: TWR ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO AN ACFT ON 3 MI FINAL TO GO AROUND BY THIS TIME. NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID AND TWR ISSUED US A TKOF CLRNC SHORTLY AFTER THE GAR. ALL 3 OF US HEARD A LINE UP PHRASE TO US FROM TWR WHEN WE CHKED IN.

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.