Narrative:

Taxiing out of atl; we were initially told to hold short of runway 26R. Subsequently; we were cleared to taxi ('expedite' was used) across runway 26R and hold short of runway 26L. When we cleared runway 26R; we were told (we both thought) to 'expedite' across runway 26L. Apparently; the tower was repeating 'expedite' across runway 26R. We both thought we heard expedite across runway 26L and in fact crossed runway 26L. Supplemental information from acn 683169: on dec/tue/05 our flight received our takeoff clearance and began the takeoff roll. First officer was doing the takeoff. Just as we started the takeoff roll; I observed what appeared to be a B767 crossing runway 26L in front of us on either taxiway D or taxiway C. I briefly considered rejecting the takeoff but the aircraft taxied across and cleared the runway very quickly and was well clear of the runway when we reached that point on the runway. With separation assured; I determined that rejecting the takeoff was unnecessary and we continued the takeoff uneventfully. After takeoff; atl tower called and told us they were investigating the incident. We were given a local telephone number to call upon our arrival. Upon arrival; I called the atl tower supervisor and told him that even though a runway incursion occurred during our takeoff roll; the aircraft crossed our runway very quickly and was no threat at all to the safe operation of our aircraft. He also informed me that other aircraft had been instructed to hold short of runway 26L and failed to do so. As a side note; we were on tower frequency of 125.32 which they sometimes use for departures in atlanta and the other aircraft was on another frequency. We could not hear any transmission between ATC and our aircraft. I believe this helped contribute to this incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-200 CREW MISUNDERSTOOD A LCL CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS AND CROSSED AN ATL RWY AS A B737-200 CONTINUED ITS TKOF ROLL CLR OF THE B767.

Narrative: TAXIING OUT OF ATL; WE WERE INITIALLY TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 26R. SUBSEQUENTLY; WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI ('EXPEDITE' WAS USED) ACROSS RWY 26R AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 26L. WHEN WE CLRED RWY 26R; WE WERE TOLD (WE BOTH THOUGHT) TO 'EXPEDITE' ACROSS RWY 26L. APPARENTLY; THE TWR WAS REPEATING 'EXPEDITE' ACROSS RWY 26R. WE BOTH THOUGHT WE HEARD EXPEDITE ACROSS RWY 26L AND IN FACT CROSSED RWY 26L. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 683169: ON DEC/TUE/05 OUR FLT RECEIVED OUR TKOF CLRNC AND BEGAN THE TKOF ROLL. FO WAS DOING THE TKOF. JUST AS WE STARTED THE TKOF ROLL; I OBSERVED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A B767 XING RWY 26L IN FRONT OF US ON EITHER TXWY D OR TXWY C. I BRIEFLY CONSIDERED REJECTING THE TKOF BUT THE ACFT TAXIED ACROSS AND CLRED THE RWY VERY QUICKLY AND WAS WELL CLR OF THE RWY WHEN WE REACHED THAT POINT ON THE RWY. WITH SEPARATION ASSURED; I DETERMINED THAT REJECTING THE TKOF WAS UNNECESSARY AND WE CONTINUED THE TKOF UNEVENTFULLY. AFTER TKOF; ATL TWR CALLED AND TOLD US THEY WERE INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT. WE WERE GIVEN A LCL TELEPHONE NUMBER TO CALL UPON OUR ARR. UPON ARR; I CALLED THE ATL TWR SUPVR AND TOLD HIM THAT EVEN THOUGH A RWY INCURSION OCCURRED DURING OUR TKOF ROLL; THE ACFT CROSSED OUR RWY VERY QUICKLY AND WAS NO THREAT AT ALL TO THE SAFE OP OF OUR ACFT. HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT OTHER ACFT HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 26L AND FAILED TO DO SO. AS A SIDE NOTE; WE WERE ON TWR FREQ OF 125.32 WHICH THEY SOMETIMES USE FOR DEPS IN ATLANTA AND THE OTHER ACFT WAS ON ANOTHER FREQ. WE COULD NOT HEAR ANY XMISSION BTWN ATC AND OUR ACFT. I BELIEVE THIS HELPED CONTRIBUTE TO THIS INCIDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.