Narrative:

Widebody transport X was cleared for a visual approach to runway 22L at bos at approximately XA00 local time. The landing and rollout were normal. We turned off the runway on echo taxiway. At that time the tower controller advised 'cross the right side and taxi to the gate on the inner, stay with me.' as the aircraft approach runway 22R both the first officer and I looked to the right to check the departure end of runway 22R and also check for traffic that might be landing on that runway. As no traffic was seen, we continued to cross runway 22R. At that point landing lights were turned on by an aircraft on runway 22R. This aircraft departed runway 22R from an intersection at midfield and passed approximately 100-150' over the top of my aircraft as we xed runway 22R. We reached the gate and I called the tower. It seems that the ATC tower position was working ground control, tower and I think clearance. The gentleman I talked to said that I had been clear to cross, and the other aircraft had been cleared for position and hold 22R at charlie. I don't know if this aircraft took off west/O clearance, or the tower controller lost his mental picture and forgot that we were crossing the runway. What bothers me the most is the fact that we had more confusion and mix ups at bos logan than any other ATC facility in the us. I don't know if they are shortstaffed, undertrained of if the noise abatement routes put too high a burden on the system. When discussing this incident with several other crews, we all agree that bos is setting itself up for a major accident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: captain was called and he advised that even though he telephoned the tower after reaching the gate, he was unable to ascertain whether the pilot of the other aircraft had taken off without clearance, or the controller had erred in allowing the takeoff while he was crossing the runway. He said that the person he talked to in the tower cabin attendant was apparently alone, because while they were talking he could hear the person talking on the radio at the same time. Captain also said that this same type of incident had happened to them about 2 months before at bos.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR-SMT TOOK OFF WHLE ACR-WDB WAS CROSSING RWY AT NIGHT.

Narrative: WDB X WAS CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 22L AT BOS AT APPROX XA00 LCL TIME. THE LNDG AND ROLLOUT WERE NORMAL. WE TURNED OFF THE RWY ON ECHO TXWY. AT THAT TIME THE TWR CTLR ADVISED 'CROSS THE RIGHT SIDE AND TAXI TO THE GATE ON THE INNER, STAY WITH ME.' AS THE ACFT APCH RWY 22R BOTH THE F/O AND I LOOKED TO THE RIGHT TO CHK THE DEP END OF RWY 22R AND ALSO CHK FOR TFC THAT MIGHT BE LNDG ON THAT RWY. AS NO TFC WAS SEEN, WE CONTINUED TO CROSS RWY 22R. AT THAT POINT LNDG LIGHTS WERE TURNED ON BY AN ACFT ON RWY 22R. THIS ACFT DEPARTED RWY 22R FROM AN INTXN AT MIDFIELD AND PASSED APPROX 100-150' OVER THE TOP OF MY ACFT AS WE XED RWY 22R. WE REACHED THE GATE AND I CALLED THE TWR. IT SEEMS THAT THE ATC TWR POS WAS WORKING GND CTL, TWR AND I THINK CLRNC. THE GENTLEMAN I TALKED TO SAID THAT I HAD BEEN CLR TO CROSS, AND THE OTHER ACFT HAD BEEN CLRED FOR POS AND HOLD 22R AT CHARLIE. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS ACFT TOOK OFF W/O CLRNC, OR THE TWR CTLR LOST HIS MENTAL PICTURE AND FORGOT THAT WE WERE XING THE RWY. WHAT BOTHERS ME THE MOST IS THE FACT THAT WE HAD MORE CONFUSION AND MIX UPS AT BOS LOGAN THAN ANY OTHER ATC FAC IN THE US. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE SHORTSTAFFED, UNDERTRAINED OF IF THE NOISE ABATEMENT ROUTES PUT TOO HIGH A BURDEN ON THE SYS. WHEN DISCUSSING THIS INCIDENT WITH SEVERAL OTHER CREWS, WE ALL AGREE THAT BOS IS SETTING ITSELF UP FOR A MAJOR ACCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: CAPT WAS CALLED AND HE ADVISED THAT EVEN THOUGH HE TELEPHONED THE TWR AFTER REACHING THE GATE, HE WAS UNABLE TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THE PLT OF THE OTHER ACFT HAD TAKEN OFF WITHOUT CLRNC, OR THE CTLR HAD ERRED IN ALLOWING THE TKOF WHILE HE WAS XING THE RWY. HE SAID THAT THE PERSON HE TALKED TO IN THE TWR CAB WAS APPARENTLY ALONE, BECAUSE WHILE THEY WERE TALKING HE COULD HEAR THE PERSON TALKING ON THE RADIO AT THE SAME TIME. CAPT ALSO SAID THAT THIS SAME TYPE OF INCIDENT HAD HAPPENED TO THEM ABOUT 2 MONTHS BEFORE AT BOS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.