A319 flight crew was forced to apply heavy braking to avoid aircraft making a low approach.

Attributes
ACN	766399
Time
Date	200712
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sna.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : sna.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna Single Piston Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	766399
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We pushed back from the gate; started both engines and extended the flaps and completed the safety checks. We notified ground that we were ready to taxi. We were told to hold short of the taxiway left line and contact tower. We pulled up to taxiway left and held short of the intersection 90 degrees to the runway. We then contacted the tower. The first officer repeated the clearance. The tower cleared us to cross runway 16R to hold short of runway 16L. I turned the corner to cross the runway. Prior to crossing the runway markings I looked to the left to make sure the final was clear. I was surprised to see a single engine cessna making a diving approach to the runway. I slammed on the brakes and held short of the runway. We did not cross the runway threshold markings. The aircraft made a low approach and continued on. As the cessna was abeam us the tower once again cleared us to cross the runway. The aircraft's low approach was low enough that had we crossed the runway; I am sure he would have hit our tail. At no time did the tower mention the aircraft making the low approach to us. We did not cross any runway threshold until after the second clearance and the aircraft had passed us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 FLT CREW WAS FORCED TO APPLY HEAVY BRAKING TO AVOID ACFT MAKING A LOW APCH.

Narrative: WE PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE; STARTED BOTH ENGS AND EXTENDED THE FLAPS AND COMPLETED THE SAFETY CHKS. WE NOTIFIED GND THAT WE WERE READY TO TAXI. WE WERE TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF THE TXWY L LINE AND CONTACT TWR. WE PULLED UP TO TXWY L AND HELD SHORT OF THE INTXN 90 DEGS TO THE RWY. WE THEN CONTACTED THE TWR. THE FO REPEATED THE CLRNC. THE TWR CLRED US TO CROSS RWY 16R TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 16L. I TURNED THE CORNER TO CROSS THE RWY. PRIOR TO XING THE RWY MARKINGS I LOOKED TO THE L TO MAKE SURE THE FINAL WAS CLR. I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE A SINGLE ENG CESSNA MAKING A DIVING APCH TO THE RWY. I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND HELD SHORT OF THE RWY. WE DID NOT CROSS THE RWY THRESHOLD MARKINGS. THE ACFT MADE A LOW APCH AND CONTINUED ON. AS THE CESSNA WAS ABEAM US THE TWR ONCE AGAIN CLRED US TO CROSS THE RWY. THE ACFT'S LOW APCH WAS LOW ENOUGH THAT HAD WE CROSSED THE RWY; I AM SURE HE WOULD HAVE HIT OUR TAIL. AT NO TIME DID THE TWR MENTION THE ACFT MAKING THE LOW APCH TO US. WE DID NOT CROSS ANY RWY THRESHOLD UNTIL AFTER THE SECOND CLRNC AND THE ACFT HAD PASSED US.

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.