Narrative:

The same person was working clearance delivery; ground and tower. Taxi clearance was 'taxi to runway 9L; cross runway 13; an aircraft is holding on runway 13.' I checked my chart and told the first officer; who had never been to pbi; looks like a straight ahead taxi on taxiway a and we are cleared across runway 13. 100 yards from runway 13 I remarked I could see the aircraft holding on the runway. The first officer asked ground to confirm we were cleared to cross runway 13 and received an affirmative response. All landing lights and other external lights were illuminated 25 yards from runway 13. As the nosewheel was about 10 ft from the hold short line of runway 13; 10 KTS taxi speed; tower cleared the aircraft holding in position for takeoff. I immediately applied more power and crossed the runway. If I had applied brakes; we would have stopped with the majority of our aircraft on the runway. I believe we were off the runway before the other aircraft began his takeoff roll. Distance between aircraft was never less than 300-500 ft. I told tower we were on the runway when he cleared the other aircraft for takeoff. He replied that it was difficult to tell from the tower and he thought we were past runway 13. I was very upset and made no further radio calls. The tower is not located in a good position. Tower should either have told us to call clear of the runway; like in CAT 3 operations or have a point of reference that tells them we are clear. Also; ground radar might help. However; there is only so much 1 person in the tower cabin attendant can do. Company procedures are great. We even made an extra call to confirm runway crossing permission. Make it foggy; distances a little closer and we have another canary islands incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 PLT COMMENTS THAT ATC ALLOWED ANOTHER ACFT'S RWY 13 TKOF ROLL TO BEGIN WHILE HIS ACFT WAS XING BUT STILL PARTIALLY ON RWY 13.

Narrative: THE SAME PERSON WAS WORKING CLRNC DELIVERY; GND AND TWR. TAXI CLRNC WAS 'TAXI TO RWY 9L; CROSS RWY 13; AN ACFT IS HOLDING ON RWY 13.' I CHKED MY CHART AND TOLD THE FO; WHO HAD NEVER BEEN TO PBI; LOOKS LIKE A STRAIGHT AHEAD TAXI ON TXWY A AND WE ARE CLRED ACROSS RWY 13. 100 YARDS FROM RWY 13 I REMARKED I COULD SEE THE ACFT HOLDING ON THE RWY. THE FO ASKED GND TO CONFIRM WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS RWY 13 AND RECEIVED AN AFFIRMATIVE RESPONSE. ALL LNDG LIGHTS AND OTHER EXTERNAL LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED 25 YARDS FROM RWY 13. AS THE NOSEWHEEL WAS ABOUT 10 FT FROM THE HOLD SHORT LINE OF RWY 13; 10 KTS TAXI SPD; TWR CLRED THE ACFT HOLDING IN POS FOR TKOF. I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED MORE PWR AND CROSSED THE RWY. IF I HAD APPLIED BRAKES; WE WOULD HAVE STOPPED WITH THE MAJORITY OF OUR ACFT ON THE RWY. I BELIEVE WE WERE OFF THE RWY BEFORE THE OTHER ACFT BEGAN HIS TKOF ROLL. DISTANCE BTWN ACFT WAS NEVER LESS THAN 300-500 FT. I TOLD TWR WE WERE ON THE RWY WHEN HE CLRED THE OTHER ACFT FOR TKOF. HE REPLIED THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TELL FROM THE TWR AND HE THOUGHT WE WERE PAST RWY 13. I WAS VERY UPSET AND MADE NO FURTHER RADIO CALLS. THE TWR IS NOT LOCATED IN A GOOD POS. TWR SHOULD EITHER HAVE TOLD US TO CALL CLR OF THE RWY; LIKE IN CAT 3 OPS OR HAVE A POINT OF REF THAT TELLS THEM WE ARE CLR. ALSO; GND RADAR MIGHT HELP. HOWEVER; THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH 1 PERSON IN THE TWR CAB CAN DO. COMPANY PROCS ARE GREAT. WE EVEN MADE AN EXTRA CALL TO CONFIRM RWY XING PERMISSION. MAKE IT FOGGY; DISTANCES A LITTLE CLOSER AND WE HAVE ANOTHER CANARY ISLANDS 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.