A320 and carj avoid ground collision when taxi clearance is misunderstood.

Attributes
ACN	761082
Time
Date	200711
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah.airport
State Reference	TX
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 : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : iah.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport Low Wing 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13527 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	761082
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Landed uneventfully runway 26L iah. No gate assigned. Cleared the runway taxiway nf and contacted ground on 121.7 and held short of taxiway na. Ground requested gate assignment; we replied we would contact company. Instructed to taxi na and hold short of nr and contact ground 118.57. First officer contacted company and was told gate X; which we relayed to ground. First officer was contacted by company wanting to know if we received airborne ACARS message about the gate. Ground instructed me to 'taxi nr in front of a B777 and behind the rj and contact ramp.' I saw the B777 and an rj near the ramp on taxiway wb and proceeded to taxi on nr. I was passing in front of the B777 and nearing nc when the first officer shouted 'look out...stop.' I abruptly stopped the aircraft and observed an rj also stopping. Ground transmitted 'you're supposed to give way to the rj.' the rj passed in front with normal clearance and we taxied to the ramp with no further problems. I was taxiing approximately 8 KTS when I stopped. The first officer estimated the rj was taxiing at 25-30 KTS. I simply did not see the rj on nc. Whether he was blocked behind the windscreen pillar or behind the B777 I did not see him until the first officer yelled stop.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 AND CARJ AVOID GND COLLISION WHEN TAXI CLRNC IS MISUNDERSTOOD.

Narrative: LANDED UNEVENTFULLY RWY 26L IAH. NO GATE ASSIGNED. CLRED THE RWY TXWY NF AND CONTACTED GND ON 121.7 AND HELD SHORT OF TXWY NA. GND REQUESTED GATE ASSIGNMENT; WE REPLIED WE WOULD CONTACT COMPANY. INSTRUCTED TO TAXI NA AND HOLD SHORT OF NR AND CONTACT GND 118.57. FO CONTACTED COMPANY AND WAS TOLD GATE X; WHICH WE RELAYED TO GND. FO WAS CONTACTED BY COMPANY WANTING TO KNOW IF WE RECEIVED AIRBORNE ACARS MESSAGE ABOUT THE GATE. GND INSTRUCTED ME TO 'TAXI NR IN FRONT OF A B777 AND BEHIND THE RJ AND CONTACT RAMP.' I SAW THE B777 AND AN RJ NEAR THE RAMP ON TXWY WB AND PROCEEDED TO TAXI ON NR. I WAS PASSING IN FRONT OF THE B777 AND NEARING NC WHEN THE FO SHOUTED 'LOOK OUT...STOP.' I ABRUPTLY STOPPED THE ACFT AND OBSERVED AN RJ ALSO STOPPING. GND XMITTED 'YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GIVE WAY TO THE RJ.' THE RJ PASSED IN FRONT WITH NORMAL CLRNC AND WE TAXIED TO THE RAMP WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. I WAS TAXIING APPROX 8 KTS WHEN I STOPPED. THE FO ESTIMATED THE RJ WAS TAXIING AT 25-30 KTS. I SIMPLY DID NOT SEE THE RJ ON NC. WHETHER HE WAS BLOCKED BEHIND THE WINDSCREEN PILLAR OR BEHIND THE B777 I DID NOT SEE HIM UNTIL THE FO YELLED STOP.

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.