Narrative:

Flight from ric to ZZZ in crj aircraft. We started at the terminal gate. After calling ground for taxi, we were given 'txwys a and east short of runway 2.' ground told us to switch to tower after leaving the ramp for further instructions. We turned off of taxiway a onto taxiway east and that is when I noticed an aircraft on taxiway U facing northeast, towards us. All of his lights were already on. When I saw him accelerating, I thought we must be approaching runway 2. I turned to the captain and asked him if he was going to hold short of runway 2. He said yes. I then pointed and said 'there is an airplane.' the captain stopped the airplane and stated, 'he just took off on a taxiway.' we referenced our charts again and confirmed that the other aircraft was indeed not on runway 2, but on taxiway U which runs parallel to runway 2. We held our position, our nose just encroaching taxiway U. Tower then advised the aircraft that they just departed off a taxiway. The tower then called an air carrier aircraft (who was on taxiway C short of runway 2 on the east side) and stated that it was a good thing they were not cleared to cross runway 2. We then called tower and advised him of our position and our taxi instructions. We were on taxiway east short of taxiway U, we awaited further instructions and continued uneventfully. There were several positive actions that allowed us to notice the aircraft in time to stop and avoid a collision. Having started both engines at the gate both pilots were looking outside and had little distrs. Both pilots had out taxi charts and were referencing them before and during taxi. The taxi speed was not fast. Contributing factors to this event were low visibility, contaminated taxiway markings, tower visibility and lack of ground tracking. Had the tower been able to see the aircraft's position the error may have been caught prior to the takeoff. The taxiway conditions may have contributed to the pilot Y's perceived position.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NEAR GND COLLISION BTWN A TAXIING CRJ AND A CITATION II WHO HAD TAKEN OFF ON TXWY U AT RIC, VA.

Narrative: FLT FROM RIC TO ZZZ IN CRJ ACFT. WE STARTED AT THE TERMINAL GATE. AFTER CALLING GND FOR TAXI, WE WERE GIVEN 'TXWYS A AND E SHORT OF RWY 2.' GND TOLD US TO SWITCH TO TWR AFTER LEAVING THE RAMP FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. WE TURNED OFF OF TXWY A ONTO TXWY E AND THAT IS WHEN I NOTICED AN ACFT ON TXWY U FACING NE, TOWARDS US. ALL OF HIS LIGHTS WERE ALREADY ON. WHEN I SAW HIM ACCELERATING, I THOUGHT WE MUST BE APCHING RWY 2. I TURNED TO THE CAPT AND ASKED HIM IF HE WAS GOING TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 2. HE SAID YES. I THEN POINTED AND SAID 'THERE IS AN AIRPLANE.' THE CAPT STOPPED THE AIRPLANE AND STATED, 'HE JUST TOOK OFF ON A TXWY.' WE REFED OUR CHARTS AGAIN AND CONFIRMED THAT THE OTHER ACFT WAS INDEED NOT ON RWY 2, BUT ON TXWY U WHICH RUNS PARALLEL TO RWY 2. WE HELD OUR POS, OUR NOSE JUST ENCROACHING TXWY U. TWR THEN ADVISED THE ACFT THAT THEY JUST DEPARTED OFF A TXWY. THE TWR THEN CALLED AN ACR ACFT (WHO WAS ON TXWY C SHORT OF RWY 2 ON THE E SIDE) AND STATED THAT IT WAS A GOOD THING THEY WERE NOT CLRED TO CROSS RWY 2. WE THEN CALLED TWR AND ADVISED HIM OF OUR POS AND OUR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. WE WERE ON TXWY E SHORT OF TXWY U, WE AWAITED FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS AND CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY. THERE WERE SEVERAL POSITIVE ACTIONS THAT ALLOWED US TO NOTICE THE ACFT IN TIME TO STOP AND AVOID A COLLISION. HAVING STARTED BOTH ENGS AT THE GATE BOTH PLTS WERE LOOKING OUTSIDE AND HAD LITTLE DISTRS. BOTH PLTS HAD OUT TAXI CHARTS AND WERE REFING THEM BEFORE AND DURING TAXI. THE TAXI SPD WAS NOT FAST. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS EVENT WERE LOW VISIBILITY, CONTAMINATED TXWY MARKINGS, TWR VISIBILITY AND LACK OF GND TRACKING. HAD THE TWR BEEN ABLE TO SEE THE ACFT'S POS THE ERROR MAY HAVE BEEN CAUGHT PRIOR TO THE TKOF. THE TXWY CONDITIONS MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE PLT Y'S PERCEIVED POS.

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.