Narrative:

Aircraft X (pvd-phl) had landed in phl. Due to previous ramp closing due to WX, the airport was saturated with taxiing aircraft. We were taxied east of runway 35/17 on taxiway south waiting to cross runway 9L. We were told by ground controller (female) 'air carrier X cross runway 9L turn left on taxiway D and hold short of runway 17/35.' we acknowledged and read back clearance appropriately. I started moving forward, crossed the hold line and stopped. When bright lights at far end of runway came on, conditions made it difficult if not impossible to see the aircraft. I was unable to break onto the frequency and also could not determine if aircraft in position was moving or stationary. Decided to maintain position short of runway despite clearance. Momentarily the aircraft took off in front of us. His altitude most likely would not have cleared my aircraft if I had been on the runway. The ground controller said something to us finally and we told her we were holding short but past the hold line. I also directed her to mark the tape at which time she said she was currently talking to her supervisor. We were then given new instructions to cross runway. Several points. 1) ground controller was obviously overloaded and losing composure by previous radio xmissions. 2) by having aircraft crossing runway on ground control we are out of tower's loop. 3) I could not see aircraft taking off movement, only his takeoff light illumination gave me the knowledge to stop and possibly prevent an accident. Some pilots are turning on all their lights when cleared onto runway to hold. I only turn on my runway turn off lights.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PHL GND CTL CLRS AN A320 CREW TO CROSS RWY 9L, BUT THEY STOP JUST PAST THE HOLD LINE WHEN THEY SEE THE LIGHTS OF AN ACFT DEPARTING.

Narrative: ACFT X (PVD-PHL) HAD LANDED IN PHL. DUE TO PREVIOUS RAMP CLOSING DUE TO WX, THE ARPT WAS SATURATED WITH TAXIING ACFT. WE WERE TAXIED E OF RWY 35/17 ON TXWY S WAITING TO CROSS RWY 9L. WE WERE TOLD BY GND CTLR (FEMALE) 'ACR X CROSS RWY 9L TURN L ON TXWY D AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 17/35.' WE ACKNOWLEDGED AND READ BACK CLRNC APPROPRIATELY. I STARTED MOVING FORWARD, CROSSED THE HOLD LINE AND STOPPED. WHEN BRIGHT LIGHTS AT FAR END OF RWY CAME ON, CONDITIONS MADE IT DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE ACFT. I WAS UNABLE TO BREAK ONTO THE FREQ AND ALSO COULD NOT DETERMINE IF ACFT IN POS WAS MOVING OR STATIONARY. DECIDED TO MAINTAIN POS SHORT OF RWY DESPITE CLRNC. MOMENTARILY THE ACFT TOOK OFF IN FRONT OF US. HIS ALT MOST LIKELY WOULD NOT HAVE CLRED MY ACFT IF I HAD BEEN ON THE RWY. THE GND CTLR SAID SOMETHING TO US FINALLY AND WE TOLD HER WE WERE HOLDING SHORT BUT PAST THE HOLD LINE. I ALSO DIRECTED HER TO MARK THE TAPE AT WHICH TIME SHE SAID SHE WAS CURRENTLY TALKING TO HER SUPVR. WE WERE THEN GIVEN NEW INSTRUCTIONS TO CROSS RWY. SEVERAL POINTS. 1) GND CTLR WAS OBVIOUSLY OVERLOADED AND LOSING COMPOSURE BY PREVIOUS RADIO XMISSIONS. 2) BY HAVING ACFT XING RWY ON GND CTL WE ARE OUT OF TWR'S LOOP. 3) I COULD NOT SEE ACFT TAKING OFF MOVEMENT, ONLY HIS TKOF LIGHT ILLUMINATION GAVE ME THE KNOWLEDGE TO STOP AND POSSIBLY PREVENT AN ACCIDENT. SOME PLTS ARE TURNING ON ALL THEIR LIGHTS WHEN CLRED ONTO RWY TO HOLD. I ONLY TURN ON MY RWY TURN OFF LIGHTS.

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.