Air carrier taxiing at ord described critical ground conflict when ATC failed to insure instructions...

Attributes
ACN	856945
Time
Date	200910
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	ORD.Airport
State Reference	IL
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Taxi
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Taxi
Person 1
Function	Pilot Not Flying
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 250 Flight Crew Total 13000 Flight Crew Type 2500
Events
Anomaly	Conflict Ground Conflict Critical

Narrative:

Ground controller told another air carrier to turn at tw A-8 then changed their instructions to turn at A-9 and told us to go in front of them; the instructions were never acknowledged by the other aircraft. We started to go but it became obvious that the other air craft had not received/understood their instructions. We slammed on the brakes and avoided a ground mishap by mere feet. Ground controllers must listen to what is being said; (or not being affirmed); to ensure ground mishaps do not occur. After all; it is their job; and being busy is no excuse for not doing things safely! This could have been an ugly event.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air carrier taxiing at ORD described critical ground conflict when ATC failed to insure instructions to another aircraft were acknowledged and carried out; a failure that caused the conflict.

Narrative: Ground controller told another air carrier to turn at TW A-8 then changed their instructions to turn at A-9 and told us to go in front of them; the instructions were never acknowledged by the other aircraft. We started to go but it became obvious that the other air craft had not received/understood their instructions. We slammed on the brakes and avoided a ground mishap by mere feet. Ground controllers MUST listen to what is being said; (or not being affirmed); to ensure ground mishaps do not occur. After all; it is their job; and being busy is no excuse for NOT doing things safely! This could have been an ugly event.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Air carrier taxiing at ord described critical ground conflict when ATC failed to insure instructions to another aircraft were acknowledged and carried out; a failure that caused the conflict.