A320 captain described runway crossing incident at ord when the controller was apparently confused r...

Narrative:

We were given clearance from ground control to taxi from gate to runway 9L; via taxiway H; hold short of runway 4L. We were switched to frequency 126.9 (tower) once we were on taxiway H. We were holding short runway 4L on taxiway H; monitoring 126.9; when we heard tower clear an aircraft to take off on runway 4L; and immediately cleared us to 'position and hold' runway 9L. After the aircraft on runway 4L passed the runway 4L/taxiway H intersection; I released the brakes to proceed across runway 4L on taxiway H. Intending to taxi to runway 9L via taxiway H and taxiway J. In the back of my mind; I wondered if tower knew that we were holding short of runway 4L; and not #1 at runway 9L. Since there were no other aircraft between our position and runway 9L; and I observed no aircraft on final approach to runway 4L; I immediately assumed that tower did indeed know our position. As we taxied across the runway 4L hold short at taxiway H; tower made the comment; 'air carrier X; you're not #1 at runway 9L?' my first officer immediately replied; no; air carrier X was holding short runway 4L at taxiway H.' I had immediately applied the brakes at tower's comment; already having encroached on runway 4L. At that moment; tower then cleared us to proceed to runway 9L; holding short of taxiway J. The ensuing takeoff and flight to miami was uneventful. My initial analysis told me that tower had a momentary loss of situational awareness; not realizing where we were when the controller issued a clearance to us that was legal from our perspective; but 'in the blind.' had an aircraft been on approach to runway 4L; or had the takeoff clearance to the aircraft on runway 4L and our clearance to taxi to runway 9L been reversed; an obvious conflict would have existed. My initial assumption was correct -- tower did not have a positive position on us; and I should have immediately queried before releasing the brakes to cross runway 4L.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CAPT DESCRIBED RWY XING INCIDENT AT ORD WHEN THE CTLR WAS APPARENTLY CONFUSED REGARDING THE RPTR'S POS. A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH A DEPARTING ACFT ON A XING RWY WAS AVOIDED WHEN THE FLT CREW DELAYED THEIR TAXI.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC FROM GND CTL TO TAXI FROM GATE TO RWY 9L; VIA TXWY H; HOLD SHORT OF RWY 4L. WE WERE SWITCHED TO FREQ 126.9 (TWR) ONCE WE WERE ON TXWY H. WE WERE HOLDING SHORT RWY 4L ON TXWY H; MONITORING 126.9; WHEN WE HEARD TWR CLR AN ACFT TO TAKE OFF ON RWY 4L; AND IMMEDIATELY CLRED US TO 'POS AND HOLD' RWY 9L. AFTER THE ACFT ON RWY 4L PASSED THE RWY 4L/TXWY H INTXN; I RELEASED THE BRAKES TO PROCEED ACROSS RWY 4L ON TXWY H. INTENDING TO TAXI TO RWY 9L VIA TXWY H AND TXWY J. IN THE BACK OF MY MIND; I WONDERED IF TWR KNEW THAT WE WERE HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 4L; AND NOT #1 AT RWY 9L. SINCE THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT BTWN OUR POS AND RWY 9L; AND I OBSERVED NO ACFT ON FINAL APCH TO RWY 4L; I IMMEDIATELY ASSUMED THAT TWR DID INDEED KNOW OUR POS. AS WE TAXIED ACROSS THE RWY 4L HOLD SHORT AT TXWY H; TWR MADE THE COMMENT; 'ACR X; YOU'RE NOT #1 AT RWY 9L?' MY FO IMMEDIATELY REPLIED; NO; ACR X WAS HOLDING SHORT RWY 4L AT TXWY H.' I HAD IMMEDIATELY APPLIED THE BRAKES AT TWR'S COMMENT; ALREADY HAVING ENCROACHED ON RWY 4L. AT THAT MOMENT; TWR THEN CLRED US TO PROCEED TO RWY 9L; HOLDING SHORT OF TXWY J. THE ENSUING TKOF AND FLT TO MIAMI WAS UNEVENTFUL. MY INITIAL ANALYSIS TOLD ME THAT TWR HAD A MOMENTARY LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS; NOT REALIZING WHERE WE WERE WHEN THE CTLR ISSUED A CLRNC TO US THAT WAS LEGAL FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE; BUT 'IN THE BLIND.' HAD AN ACFT BEEN ON APCH TO RWY 4L; OR HAD THE TKOF CLRNC TO THE ACFT ON RWY 4L AND OUR CLRNC TO TAXI TO RWY 9L BEEN REVERSED; AN OBVIOUS CONFLICT WOULD HAVE EXISTED. MY INITIAL ASSUMPTION WAS CORRECT -- TWR DID NOT HAVE A POSITIVE POS ON US; AND I SHOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY QUERIED BEFORE RELEASING THE BRAKES TO CROSS RWY 4L.

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.

Attributes
ACN	688400
Time
Date	200602
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : position and hold ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 10400 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	688400
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

A320 captain described runway crossing incident at ord when the controller was apparently confused regarding the reporter's position. A potential conflict with a departing aircraft on a crossing runway was avoided when the flight crew delayed their taxi.