Narrative:

Landed on runway 18L in tul with significant; albeit well within limits; crosswind. Planned and briefed to exit at taxiway H. I flew approach and landing and captain took the taxi clearance before aircraft control was xferred to him for taxi in. Clearance was; 'company number; taxi via; taxi via taxiway H to the gate; stay with me.' as we approached runway 8; we heard a company flight get cleared for takeoff on runway 8. I looked down the runway and saw an airplane on taxiway C facing wbound light up. Even though he had not made the corner for runway 8; I didn't like it and neither did the captain; especially since we had not even reached runway 8. We stopped the airplane on taxiway H; near the hold bars. Tower then said; 'flight number; continue your taxi.' I read the clearance back and then the tower canceled the company's takeoff clearance. We continued to the gate without further issue. I am writing this report for a couple of reasons. First; the captain says he is 100% sure we were cleared all the way in. I am also quite certain that is the case; but there are a few things to consider. 'Hold short of runway 8' rhymes with 'taxi to the gate.' did we just hear what we wanted to or expected because that is what we had briefed? I was busy making sure the aircraft was tracking straight in the crosswind and probably did not devote enough of my attention to radio monitoring at that point. I am not too arrogant to assume that I am immune from a mistake like this. Secondly; assuming that we were cleared to the gate; the practice of ATC clearing another aircraft for takeoff based upon an assumed rate of taxi by another is dangerous. This controller was working both ground and tower and I am sure he had other distrs associated with his work. I know ATC staffing is a hot issue lately; but practices like this have a potential for disaster. In retrospect; regardless of who was at fault; I believe we acted appropriately. We stopped the aircraft before getting to the runway in question. Even if the controller felt we had enough time to cross and clear before the other aircraft rounded the corner (which; by the way; is exactly how it played out; even with us coming to a complete stop); he should have delayed broadcasting the takeoff clearance. Even though we saw what we believed was the other aircraft; how do we know there is no one in position with their lights off?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LNDG ACR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING TUL LCL CTLR'S SPACING JUDGEMENT DURING INTERSECTING RWY OPS.

Narrative: LANDED ON RWY 18L IN TUL WITH SIGNIFICANT; ALBEIT WELL WITHIN LIMITS; XWIND. PLANNED AND BRIEFED TO EXIT AT TXWY H. I FLEW APCH AND LNDG AND CAPT TOOK THE TAXI CLRNC BEFORE ACFT CTL WAS XFERRED TO HIM FOR TAXI IN. CLRNC WAS; 'COMPANY NUMBER; TAXI VIA; TAXI VIA TXWY H TO THE GATE; STAY WITH ME.' AS WE APCHED RWY 8; WE HEARD A COMPANY FLT GET CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 8. I LOOKED DOWN THE RWY AND SAW AN AIRPLANE ON TXWY C FACING WBOUND LIGHT UP. EVEN THOUGH HE HAD NOT MADE THE CORNER FOR RWY 8; I DIDN'T LIKE IT AND NEITHER DID THE CAPT; ESPECIALLY SINCE WE HAD NOT EVEN REACHED RWY 8. WE STOPPED THE AIRPLANE ON TXWY H; NEAR THE HOLD BARS. TWR THEN SAID; 'FLT NUMBER; CONTINUE YOUR TAXI.' I READ THE CLRNC BACK AND THEN THE TWR CANCELED THE COMPANY'S TKOF CLRNC. WE CONTINUED TO THE GATE WITHOUT FURTHER ISSUE. I AM WRITING THIS RPT FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS. FIRST; THE CAPT SAYS HE IS 100% SURE WE WERE CLRED ALL THE WAY IN. I AM ALSO QUITE CERTAIN THAT IS THE CASE; BUT THERE ARE A FEW THINGS TO CONSIDER. 'HOLD SHORT OF RWY 8' RHYMES WITH 'TAXI TO THE GATE.' DID WE JUST HEAR WHAT WE WANTED TO OR EXPECTED BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE HAD BRIEFED? I WAS BUSY MAKING SURE THE ACFT WAS TRACKING STRAIGHT IN THE XWIND AND PROBABLY DID NOT DEVOTE ENOUGH OF MY ATTN TO RADIO MONITORING AT THAT POINT. I AM NOT TOO ARROGANT TO ASSUME THAT I AM IMMUNE FROM A MISTAKE LIKE THIS. SECONDLY; ASSUMING THAT WE WERE CLRED TO THE GATE; THE PRACTICE OF ATC CLRING ANOTHER ACFT FOR TKOF BASED UPON AN ASSUMED RATE OF TAXI BY ANOTHER IS DANGEROUS. THIS CTLR WAS WORKING BOTH GND AND TWR AND I AM SURE HE HAD OTHER DISTRS ASSOCIATED WITH HIS WORK. I KNOW ATC STAFFING IS A HOT ISSUE LATELY; BUT PRACTICES LIKE THIS HAVE A POTENTIAL FOR DISASTER. IN RETROSPECT; REGARDLESS OF WHO WAS AT FAULT; I BELIEVE WE ACTED APPROPRIATELY. WE STOPPED THE ACFT BEFORE GETTING TO THE RWY IN QUESTION. EVEN IF THE CTLR FELT WE HAD ENOUGH TIME TO CROSS AND CLR BEFORE THE OTHER ACFT ROUNDED THE CORNER (WHICH; BY THE WAY; IS EXACTLY HOW IT PLAYED OUT; EVEN WITH US COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP); HE SHOULD HAVE DELAYED BROADCASTING THE TKOF CLRNC. EVEN THOUGH WE SAW WHAT WE BELIEVED WAS THE OTHER ACFT; HOW DO WE KNOW THERE IS NO ONE IN POS WITH THEIR LIGHTS OFF?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.