B737 flight crew is questioned by iah controller regarding position on the runway after being cleared into position. Controller confusion with call signs due to traffic volume.

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Attributes
ACN	621861
Time
Date	200406
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ewr.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground : position and hold
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : iah.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 15000
ASRS Report	621861
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 3000 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	621862
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We followed taxi instructions from spot 1 for wa to wv to runway 15L. When we were next in line the tower cleared us into position and hold with full readback by us. During this time the tower operator seemed very busy. After several aircraft were cleared for takeoff on runway 15R tower cleared an air carrier aircraft for takeoff on our runway. Before we answered he again cleared the air carrier for takeoff to which someone said 'who was that for?' this got the tower controller to again clear the air carrier for takeoff, to which the air carrier flight replied that he was #3 in line holding short of runway 15R. The tower controller then asked who was on runway 15L, and then told us 'I didn't clear you, but that is ok, no problem.' he then cleared more aircraft for takeoff on runway 15R before clearing us for takeoff on runway 15L. About the time we departed we heard what appeared to be another mix-up as to 'who was on first.' the tower controller did not seem to have a complete grasp of the situation, perhaps due to his heavy workload at the time. Supplemental information from acn 621862: clearly this controller was confused and had lost situational awareness as to where aircraft were and at which runway. He clearly stated for us to go into position and we read that clearance back.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW IS QUESTIONED BY IAH CTLR REGARDING POS ON THE RWY AFTER BEING CLRED INTO POS. CTLR CONFUSION WITH CALL SIGNS DUE TO TFC VOLUME.

Narrative: WE FOLLOWED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS FROM SPOT 1 FOR WA TO WV TO RWY 15L. WHEN WE WERE NEXT IN LINE THE TWR CLRED US INTO POS AND HOLD WITH FULL READBACK BY US. DURING THIS TIME THE TWR OPERATOR SEEMED VERY BUSY. AFTER SEVERAL ACFT WERE CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 15R TWR CLRED AN ACR ACFT FOR TKOF ON OUR RWY. BEFORE WE ANSWERED HE AGAIN CLRED THE ACR FOR TKOF TO WHICH SOMEONE SAID 'WHO WAS THAT FOR?' THIS GOT THE TWR CTLR TO AGAIN CLR THE ACR FOR TKOF, TO WHICH THE ACR FLT REPLIED THAT HE WAS #3 IN LINE HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 15R. THE TWR CTLR THEN ASKED WHO WAS ON RWY 15L, AND THEN TOLD US 'I DIDN'T CLR YOU, BUT THAT IS OK, NO PROB.' HE THEN CLRED MORE ACFT FOR TKOF ON RWY 15R BEFORE CLRING US FOR TKOF ON RWY 15L. ABOUT THE TIME WE DEPARTED WE HEARD WHAT APPEARED TO BE ANOTHER MIX-UP AS TO 'WHO WAS ON FIRST.' THE TWR CTLR DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE A COMPLETE GRASP OF THE SIT, PERHAPS DUE TO HIS HVY WORKLOAD AT THE TIME. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 621862: CLRLY THIS CTLR WAS CONFUSED AND HAD LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AS TO WHERE ACFT WERE AND AT WHICH RWY. HE CLRLY STATED FOR US TO GO INTO POS AND WE READ THAT CLRNC BACK.

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.