Narrative:

After landing dfw on runway 13R; we were instructed to take taxiway C northbound and hold short of runway 18R at intersection wl. After giving way to an airbus (on taxiway C); we turned right and held well short as instructed. An rj was landing on runway 18R and exited high speed E4. He was subsequently given instructions; but used an unusual amount of time to read back his entire clearance; thus blocking the frequency and prohibiting the controller from issuing our anticipated crossing clearance. We had an MD80 on (estimating) a 3 mi final (which is plenty of separation to issue us a crossing clearance) and; when the rj finally stopped talking; we were issued a clearance to cross runway 18R and started the aircraft towards the runway. We were the only aircraft holding short of runway 18R. (There was a B777 taxiing across runway 18R up field of us on taxiway week; but I believe that he was on ground frequency; as I don't recall ever hearing him. Nevertheless; it was the perfect crossing scenario having a heavy jet between me and the landing aircraft.) we both were absolutely certain of our clearance; but since the very first part of our crossing clearance was slightly garbled; I simply asked the first officer to clarify the clearance. At this point; I suppose that the controller thought that we weren't yet moving; and canceled our crossing clearance. However; we were already across the hold lines. We informed the controller that we were across the lines and now unable to hold short; whereupon he again said 'hold short of the runway.' we were well short of the runway edge; but definitely across the hold short line when I stopped the aircraft. The controller then asked the MD80 on final if he could accept a landing clearance; even though an aircraft downfield was across the hold line. Since we were well short of the runway; he accepted the landing clearance and landed uneventfully. We then crossed both runways and headed for the gate. While taxiing in; I asked the tower controller if we 'had a deal' going; and he said 'no' because the landing aircraft had us in sight and that there was 'no problem.' when I returned to the gate on the outbound leg; I was instructed by ramp to call tower supervisor to discuss the incident. He wanted to know if my nose was 'past the hold short line.' I answered in the affirmative. He informed me that they were doing a self-disclosure and that this is likely going to be considered a 'runway incursion.' I thought that he was implying it was our fault; but he said 'you've done nothing wrong here' and that 'the controller should have sent the MD80 around.' I called again 24 hours later; after they reviewed the tape; and confirmed that we were indeed cleared to cross the runway (according to the supervisor who said that he heard the tape). This is a tough one. I was certain of the clearance to cross; but because we're so paranoid these days; I likely caused the whole situation by simply clarifying our clearance. I feel terrible for the controller. If I had said nothing; this would have all been routine. Supplemental information from acn 704639: they replied no problem; landed and made the high speed short of where we were holding short. After that we were cleared to cross both runways. About 20 mins before departure to MMMX; the captain was requested to call the tower. They informed us that they were going to do a self disclosure on a runway incursion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 AT DFW WAS CLRED TO CROSS THE RWY; BUT JUST AFTER XING THE HOLD LINE WAS INSTRUCTED TO HOLD SHORT FOR LNDG TFC.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG DFW ON RWY 13R; WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TAKE TXWY C NBOUND AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 18R AT INTXN WL. AFTER GIVING WAY TO AN AIRBUS (ON TXWY C); WE TURNED R AND HELD WELL SHORT AS INSTRUCTED. AN RJ WAS LNDG ON RWY 18R AND EXITED HIGH SPEED E4. HE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS; BUT USED AN UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF TIME TO READ BACK HIS ENTIRE CLRNC; THUS BLOCKING THE FREQ AND PROHIBITING THE CTLR FROM ISSUING OUR ANTICIPATED XING CLRNC. WE HAD AN MD80 ON (ESTIMATING) A 3 MI FINAL (WHICH IS PLENTY OF SEPARATION TO ISSUE US A XING CLRNC) AND; WHEN THE RJ FINALLY STOPPED TALKING; WE WERE ISSUED A CLRNC TO CROSS RWY 18R AND STARTED THE ACFT TOWARDS THE RWY. WE WERE THE ONLY ACFT HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 18R. (THERE WAS A B777 TAXIING ACROSS RWY 18R UP FIELD OF US ON TXWY WK; BUT I BELIEVE THAT HE WAS ON GND FREQ; AS I DON'T RECALL EVER HEARING HIM. NEVERTHELESS; IT WAS THE PERFECT XING SCENARIO HAVING A HVY JET BTWN ME AND THE LNDG ACFT.) WE BOTH WERE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN OF OUR CLRNC; BUT SINCE THE VERY FIRST PART OF OUR XING CLRNC WAS SLIGHTLY GARBLED; I SIMPLY ASKED THE FO TO CLARIFY THE CLRNC. AT THIS POINT; I SUPPOSE THAT THE CTLR THOUGHT THAT WE WEREN'T YET MOVING; AND CANCELED OUR XING CLRNC. HOWEVER; WE WERE ALREADY ACROSS THE HOLD LINES. WE INFORMED THE CTLR THAT WE WERE ACROSS THE LINES AND NOW UNABLE TO HOLD SHORT; WHEREUPON HE AGAIN SAID 'HOLD SHORT OF THE RWY.' WE WERE WELL SHORT OF THE RWY EDGE; BUT DEFINITELY ACROSS THE HOLD SHORT LINE WHEN I STOPPED THE ACFT. THE CTLR THEN ASKED THE MD80 ON FINAL IF HE COULD ACCEPT A LNDG CLRNC; EVEN THOUGH AN ACFT DOWNFIELD WAS ACROSS THE HOLD LINE. SINCE WE WERE WELL SHORT OF THE RWY; HE ACCEPTED THE LNDG CLRNC AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. WE THEN CROSSED BOTH RWYS AND HEADED FOR THE GATE. WHILE TAXIING IN; I ASKED THE TWR CTLR IF WE 'HAD A DEAL' GOING; AND HE SAID 'NO' BECAUSE THE LNDG ACFT HAD US IN SIGHT AND THAT THERE WAS 'NO PROB.' WHEN I RETURNED TO THE GATE ON THE OUTBOUND LEG; I WAS INSTRUCTED BY RAMP TO CALL TWR SUPVR TO DISCUSS THE INCIDENT. HE WANTED TO KNOW IF MY NOSE WAS 'PAST THE HOLD SHORT LINE.' I ANSWERED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. HE INFORMED ME THAT THEY WERE DOING A SELF-DISCLOSURE AND THAT THIS IS LIKELY GOING TO BE CONSIDERED A 'RWY INCURSION.' I THOUGHT THAT HE WAS IMPLYING IT WAS OUR FAULT; BUT HE SAID 'YOU'VE DONE NOTHING WRONG HERE' AND THAT 'THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE SENT THE MD80 AROUND.' I CALLED AGAIN 24 HRS LATER; AFTER THEY REVIEWED THE TAPE; AND CONFIRMED THAT WE WERE INDEED CLRED TO CROSS THE RWY (ACCORDING TO THE SUPVR WHO SAID THAT HE HEARD THE TAPE). THIS IS A TOUGH ONE. I WAS CERTAIN OF THE CLRNC TO CROSS; BUT BECAUSE WE'RE SO PARANOID THESE DAYS; I LIKELY CAUSED THE WHOLE SITUATION BY SIMPLY CLARIFYING OUR CLRNC. I FEEL TERRIBLE FOR THE CTLR. IF I HAD SAID NOTHING; THIS WOULD HAVE ALL BEEN ROUTINE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 704639: THEY REPLIED NO PROB; LANDED AND MADE THE HIGH SPEED SHORT OF WHERE WE WERE HOLDING SHORT. AFTER THAT WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS BOTH RWYS. ABOUT 20 MINS BEFORE DEP TO MMMX; THE CAPT WAS REQUESTED TO CALL THE TWR. THEY INFORMED US THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO A SELF DISCLOSURE ON A RWY INCURSION.

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.