Narrative:

After pushback, phx ground cleared us to 'taxi runway 25R after inbound air carrier west via taxiway east. The sun had set, and it was dark. While taxiing we heard an air carrier Z flight report approaching spot 'south.' we did not see any flts anywhere near spot '3,' and assumed the flight was still at the gate or somewhere else on the airport. Nearing taxiway E12, we switched to tower frequency and shortly heard air carrier Z-1, 'cleared for takeoff runway 25R.' we then noticed an air carrier Z-2 at taxiway D13 moving toward the runway, and braked to avoid possible conflict with him. Then we saw the other air carrier Z-1 flight moving at a very high rate of speed apparently on taxiway right headed for runway 25R. I would estimate his speed to be 30-40 KTS as he passed the first air carrier Z-2 now slowing on D13. Our clearance was to taxi to the end of the runway, no other taxi TA's were given, and no yields issued. If we had not slowed for the first air carrier Z-2, and continued as per our instructions, we could have come very close to colliding with the second air carrier Z-1 who was rapidly approaching runway 25R and being screened by the first air carrier Z-2. Tower then cleared the second air carrier Z-1 flight for takeoff. I surely do not understand the takeoff order assigned by phx tower as we had called for taxi at least 7 mins prior to reaching the runway. I particularly do not understand the need to change the runway as if it were a contest. And I cannot explain why we were never told by the ground controller or tower to hold short of taxiway E13, so that we could avoid possible conflict with 2 other aircraft. Again, we were never warned to hold short of taxiway E13 or of the 2 air carrier Z aircraft who were then cleared for takeoff prior to us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLT CREW IS CONCERNED WITH ATC TAXI PROCS AT PHX.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHBACK, PHX GND CLRED US TO 'TAXI RWY 25R AFTER INBOUND ACR W VIA TXWY E. THE SUN HAD SET, AND IT WAS DARK. WHILE TAXIING WE HEARD AN ACR Z FLT RPT APCHING SPOT 'S.' WE DID NOT SEE ANY FLTS ANYWHERE NEAR SPOT '3,' AND ASSUMED THE FLT WAS STILL AT THE GATE OR SOMEWHERE ELSE ON THE ARPT. NEARING TXWY E12, WE SWITCHED TO TWR FREQ AND SHORTLY HEARD ACR Z-1, 'CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 25R.' WE THEN NOTICED AN ACR Z-2 AT TXWY D13 MOVING TOWARD THE RWY, AND BRAKED TO AVOID POSSIBLE CONFLICT WITH HIM. THEN WE SAW THE OTHER ACR Z-1 FLT MOVING AT A VERY HIGH RATE OF SPD APPARENTLY ON TXWY R HEADED FOR RWY 25R. I WOULD ESTIMATE HIS SPD TO BE 30-40 KTS AS HE PASSED THE FIRST ACR Z-2 NOW SLOWING ON D13. OUR CLRNC WAS TO TAXI TO THE END OF THE RWY, NO OTHER TAXI TA'S WERE GIVEN, AND NO YIELDS ISSUED. IF WE HAD NOT SLOWED FOR THE FIRST ACR Z-2, AND CONTINUED AS PER OUR INSTRUCTIONS, WE COULD HAVE COME VERY CLOSE TO COLLIDING WITH THE SECOND ACR Z-1 WHO WAS RAPIDLY APCHING RWY 25R AND BEING SCREENED BY THE FIRST ACR Z-2. TWR THEN CLRED THE SECOND ACR Z-1 FLT FOR TKOF. I SURELY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE TKOF ORDER ASSIGNED BY PHX TWR AS WE HAD CALLED FOR TAXI AT LEAST 7 MINS PRIOR TO REACHING THE RWY. I PARTICULARLY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO CHANGE THE RWY AS IF IT WERE A CONTEST. AND I CANNOT EXPLAIN WHY WE WERE NEVER TOLD BY THE GND CTLR OR TWR TO HOLD SHORT OF TXWY E13, SO THAT WE COULD AVOID POSSIBLE CONFLICT WITH 2 OTHER ACFT. AGAIN, WE WERE NEVER WARNED TO HOLD SHORT OF TXWY E13 OR OF THE 2 ACR Z ACFT WHO WERE THEN CLRED FOR TKOF PRIOR TO US.

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.