Narrative:

After receiving clearance for takeoff on runway 4L, the first officer and I both noticed an A320 approaching runway 4L on taxiway H, right to left. I had pwred up and released brakes but had not let the aircraft move waiting to see if the A320 was going to hold short. He continued onto our runway. I flashed my lights at him, thinking he was not following his clearance. The first officer notified tower we had an aircraft crossing in front of us. Tower seemed confused, then reclred us for takeoff again while the A320 was still on the runway and exiting right in front of us. Once the aircraft was clear, we were able to take off. I contacted dispatch at cruise altitude and briefly explained the situation. She was able to provide me with ord tower numbers I could all in ric. I contacted mr X and mr Y on a recorded line. They then listened to the tapes and called me back. They concluded the tower controller had misjudged and thought the 320 would be across in time for our takeoff. They considered it an operational error for the controller rather than a runway incursion because I had not let the aircraft roll yet.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 DEP FROM ORD HELD IN POS AFTER RECEIVING TKOF CLRNC BECAUSE OF TFC XING RWY IN FRONT OF THE RPTR'S ACFT.

Narrative: AFTER RECEIVING CLRNC FOR TKOF ON RWY 4L, THE FO AND I BOTH NOTICED AN A320 APCHING RWY 4L ON TXWY H, R TO L. I HAD PWRED UP AND RELEASED BRAKES BUT HAD NOT LET THE ACFT MOVE WAITING TO SEE IF THE A320 WAS GOING TO HOLD SHORT. HE CONTINUED ONTO OUR RWY. I FLASHED MY LIGHTS AT HIM, THINKING HE WAS NOT FOLLOWING HIS CLRNC. THE FO NOTIFIED TWR WE HAD AN ACFT XING IN FRONT OF US. TWR SEEMED CONFUSED, THEN RECLRED US FOR TKOF AGAIN WHILE THE A320 WAS STILL ON THE RWY AND EXITING RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. ONCE THE ACFT WAS CLR, WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE OFF. I CONTACTED DISPATCH AT CRUISE ALT AND BRIEFLY EXPLAINED THE SIT. SHE WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE ME WITH ORD TWR NUMBERS I COULD ALL IN RIC. I CONTACTED MR X AND MR Y ON A RECORDED LINE. THEY THEN LISTENED TO THE TAPES AND CALLED ME BACK. THEY CONCLUDED THE TWR CTLR HAD MISJUDGED AND THOUGHT THE 320 WOULD BE ACROSS IN TIME FOR OUR TKOF. THEY CONSIDERED IT AN OPERROR FOR THE CTLR RATHER THAN A RWY INCURSION BECAUSE I HAD NOT LET THE ACFT ROLL YET.

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.