Ord departure awaiting takeoff from runway 4L; crossed hold line; told to hold position and then obs...

Attributes
ACN	800222
Time
Date	200808
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
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 : 190 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2913
ASRS Report	800222
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We had a wheels-up delay. Our time was XA17 with an originally scheduled XB45 departure. Boarding was delayed until XC10. We taxied out and were told that our time had changed to approximately XA00. Our taxi clearance from the south port was taxiway B; taxiway east; runway 4L. We told ground nearing taxiway east that we were awaiting our numbers. When we did not have them by about XA00; we were told to cross runway 4L; do a 180 degree turn; and hold short on the northwest side at runway 4L. We did. At approximately XA09 tower cleared us into position and hold on runway 4L when told we had our numbers. We began to taxi into position and were 1/2 way across the hold line when we were told to 'hold position.' we stopped with the tail about at the hold line and told tower that we were across the hold short line for the runway. He replied 'that's ok; just hold your position.' he then cleared 3 different aircraft into position and subsequently to takeoff. I determined we had about 75 ft clearance and elected to stay put as it seemed to be the safest course of action. We were then cleared to take off normally. It seemed very odd to be told to stop after crossing the hold line; and then confirm that with tower; and watch 3 planes take off.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ORD DEP AWAITING TKOF FROM RWY 4L; CROSSED HOLD LINE; TOLD TO HOLD POSITION AND THEN OBSERVED SEVERAL ACFT DEP RWY FROM OPPOSITE SIDE.

Narrative: WE HAD A WHEELS-UP DELAY. OUR TIME WAS XA17 WITH AN ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED XB45 DEP. BOARDING WAS DELAYED UNTIL XC10. WE TAXIED OUT AND WERE TOLD THAT OUR TIME HAD CHANGED TO APPROX XA00. OUR TAXI CLRNC FROM THE S PORT WAS TXWY B; TXWY E; RWY 4L. WE TOLD GND NEARING TXWY E THAT WE WERE AWAITING OUR NUMBERS. WHEN WE DID NOT HAVE THEM BY ABOUT XA00; WE WERE TOLD TO CROSS RWY 4L; DO A 180 DEG TURN; AND HOLD SHORT ON THE NW SIDE AT RWY 4L. WE DID. AT APPROX XA09 TWR CLRED US INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 4L WHEN TOLD WE HAD OUR NUMBERS. WE BEGAN TO TAXI INTO POS AND WERE 1/2 WAY ACROSS THE HOLD LINE WHEN WE WERE TOLD TO 'HOLD POS.' WE STOPPED WITH THE TAIL ABOUT AT THE HOLD LINE AND TOLD TWR THAT WE WERE ACROSS THE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR THE RWY. HE REPLIED 'THAT'S OK; JUST HOLD YOUR POS.' HE THEN CLRED 3 DIFFERENT ACFT INTO POS AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO TKOF. I DETERMINED WE HAD ABOUT 75 FT CLRNC AND ELECTED TO STAY PUT AS IT SEEMED TO BE THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO TAKE OFF NORMALLY. IT SEEMED VERY ODD TO BE TOLD TO STOP AFTER XING THE HOLD LINE; AND THEN CONFIRM THAT WITH TWR; AND WATCH 3 PLANES TAKE 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.

Ord departure awaiting takeoff from runway 4L; crossed hold line; told to hold position and then observed several aircraft departure runway from opposite side.