Narrative:

While taxiing out of lax and being #1 for takeoff, approximately 200-250 meters from runway 25R, the first officer informed the tower that flight was ready for takeoff. The tower's response was, 'turn right at the next intersection', 'correction to that' (or something to that effect), 'taxi to the end for a full length takeoff' (at this point I understood the tower to say), 'cleared into position and hold.' because of the distance to get to the end of the runway (a distance of approximately 200 meters), and having a 'position and hold' clearance so early, I said to myself, he must have his landing traffic controled for 25L. Approaching the end of the taxiway to take 25R, I saw incoming traffic (about 3 aircraft) on the approach for 25L. While turning the aircraft on to 25R, and finishing the checklist, we looked up and saw an aircraft out of position for 25L. Because of the close proximity of 25L and 25R, and because it was too late (we were already on 25R), an aircraft had apparently been cleared to land on 25R, so then was told to go around, because of our position. As all of this was going on, the tower informed us that we had been told to hold short. There was no doubt in my mind that we were given a 'position and hold' clearance. I thought it was an early 'position and hold' clearance, but have seen this occurrence many times in the past. As a corrective action, it would seem that a 'position and hold' clearance should not be issued until the aircraft is about to take the runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB ENTERED RWY WITHOUT CLRNC CAUSING ANOTHER ACFT TO GO AROUND.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING OUT OF LAX AND BEING #1 FOR TKOF, APPROX 200-250 METERS FROM RWY 25R, THE F/O INFORMED THE TWR THAT FLT WAS READY FOR TKOF. THE TWR'S RESPONSE WAS, 'TURN R AT THE NEXT INTXN', 'CORRECTION TO THAT' (OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT), 'TAXI TO THE END FOR A FULL LENGTH TKOF' (AT THIS POINT I UNDERSTOOD THE TWR TO SAY), 'CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD.' BECAUSE OF THE DISTANCE TO GET TO THE END OF THE RWY (A DISTANCE OF APPROX 200 METERS), AND HAVING A 'POS AND HOLD' CLRNC SO EARLY, I SAID TO MYSELF, HE MUST HAVE HIS LNDG TFC CTLED FOR 25L. APCHING THE END OF THE TXWY TO TAKE 25R, I SAW INCOMING TFC (ABOUT 3 ACFT) ON THE APCH FOR 25L. WHILE TURNING THE ACFT ON TO 25R, AND FINISHING THE CHKLIST, WE LOOKED UP AND SAW AN ACFT OUT OF POS FOR 25L. BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE PROX OF 25L AND 25R, AND BECAUSE IT WAS TOO LATE (WE WERE ALREADY ON 25R), AN ACFT HAD APPARENTLY BEEN CLRED TO LAND ON 25R, SO THEN WAS TOLD TO GO AROUND, BECAUSE OF OUR POS. AS ALL OF THIS WAS GOING ON, THE TWR INFORMED US THAT WE HAD BEEN TOLD TO HOLD SHORT. THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT WE WERE GIVEN A 'POS AND HOLD' CLRNC. I THOUGHT IT WAS AN EARLY 'POS AND HOLD' CLRNC, BUT HAVE SEEN THIS OCCURRENCE MANY TIMES IN THE PAST. AS A CORRECTIVE ACTION, IT WOULD SEEM THAT A 'POS AND HOLD' CLRNC SHOULD NOT BE ISSUED UNTIL THE ACFT IS ABOUT TO TAKE THE RWY.

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.