An A320 flight crew failed to hold short of the 4L approach path at bos.

Attributes
ACN	737204
Time
Date	200704
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bos.airport
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	737204
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We had just made a normal landing at bos on runway 22L. Tower instructed us to roll down to taxiway B; turn right; hold short of 'runway 4L approach' and contact another tower frequency. As we turned onto taxiway B; I pointed out the hold short sign (about 500 ft ahead) to the captain. I then did my after landing items; and switched to tower but did not immediately call. (I think I was still doing the after landing flow and checklist.) a few moments later; I looked up and we were right at the '4L-9 approach' sign and still moving. I said to the captain that this was our hold point -- stop now. The captain made a gentle stop and our aircraft nose went about 50 ft beyond the line. I then called bos tower and they cleared us to continue on taxiway B. Apparently; there was no conflict with any aircraft. The underlying cause here was that the captain did not realize that we were to hold short of an 'approach.' he was expecting to hold short of 'runway 4L' and was expecting to come upon a runway and then hold short of it. However; at this hold short point; there is no runway. I am very familiar with boston and I should have monitored our taxi progress more closely. The hold short point was well-marked; but it is an unusual situation when you hold short of an overhead approach path.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 FLT CREW FAILED TO HOLD SHORT OF THE 4L APPROACH PATH AT BOS.

Narrative: WE HAD JUST MADE A NORMAL LNDG AT BOS ON RWY 22L. TWR INSTRUCTED US TO ROLL DOWN TO TXWY B; TURN R; HOLD SHORT OF 'RWY 4L APCH' AND CONTACT ANOTHER TWR FREQ. AS WE TURNED ONTO TXWY B; I POINTED OUT THE HOLD SHORT SIGN (ABOUT 500 FT AHEAD) TO THE CAPT. I THEN DID MY AFTER LNDG ITEMS; AND SWITCHED TO TWR BUT DID NOT IMMEDIATELY CALL. (I THINK I WAS STILL DOING THE AFTER LNDG FLOW AND CHKLIST.) A FEW MOMENTS LATER; I LOOKED UP AND WE WERE RIGHT AT THE '4L-9 APCH' SIGN AND STILL MOVING. I SAID TO THE CAPT THAT THIS WAS OUR HOLD POINT -- STOP NOW. THE CAPT MADE A GENTLE STOP AND OUR ACFT NOSE WENT ABOUT 50 FT BEYOND THE LINE. I THEN CALLED BOS TWR AND THEY CLRED US TO CONTINUE ON TXWY B. APPARENTLY; THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH ANY ACFT. THE UNDERLYING CAUSE HERE WAS THAT THE CAPT DID NOT REALIZE THAT WE WERE TO HOLD SHORT OF AN 'APCH.' HE WAS EXPECTING TO HOLD SHORT OF 'RWY 4L' AND WAS EXPECTING TO COME UPON A RWY AND THEN HOLD SHORT OF IT. HOWEVER; AT THIS HOLD SHORT POINT; THERE IS NO RWY. I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH BOSTON AND I SHOULD HAVE MONITORED OUR TAXI PROGRESS MORE CLOSELY. THE HOLD SHORT POINT WAS WELL-MARKED; BUT IT IS AN UNUSUAL SITUATION WHEN YOU HOLD SHORT OF AN OVERHEAD APCH PATH.

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.