Narrative:

We were cleared from the C concourse at ord 'via the inner the stub the parallels to T-1' for intersection takeoff on runway 32L, an unusually complicated route necessitated by heavy traffic, and also taxiing out we had some minor illumination problems in the cockpit. Later, I learned that I had turned to the right at the stub and was waiting at the n-s rather than T-1, which in the dark, apart from its direction, is superficially at runway 27L similar. I was doubtful since I always use a heading bug as a runway reference, and the copilot was also somewhat doubtful. We were about to discuss it further when the tower abruptly cleared us into position. We queried it and it was confirmed and so I started to move toward the runway and turned my lights on, at which point the copilot called 'hold it,' and an medium large transport completed its landing roll in front of us. We queried the tower again, who said, 'let's confirm where you are.' and another voice asked, 'did you penetrate the runway?', to which we could safely reply 'no.' it was of course totally my responsibility to hold fast until I was certain what was going on, despite the 'are we cleared onto this runway?' 'yes.' interchange. Still, I would suggest that points used for intersection takeoffs be clearly marked. And secondly, if possible, the ground controller be aware of his movements. An outstanding copilot prevented what might well have been a very nasty outcome.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HVT FOLLOWED WRONG TAXI ROUTE NEARLY ENTERED WRONG RWY FOR TKOF AT ORD.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FROM THE C CONCOURSE AT ORD 'VIA THE INNER THE STUB THE PARALLELS TO T-1' FOR INTXN TKOF ON RWY 32L, AN UNUSUALLY COMPLICATED RTE NECESSITATED BY HVY TFC, AND ALSO TAXIING OUT WE HAD SOME MINOR ILLUMINATION PROBS IN THE COCKPIT. LATER, I LEARNED THAT I HAD TURNED TO THE RIGHT AT THE STUB AND WAS WAITING AT THE N-S RATHER THAN T-1, WHICH IN THE DARK, APART FROM ITS DIRECTION, IS SUPERFICIALLY AT RWY 27L SIMILAR. I WAS DOUBTFUL SINCE I ALWAYS USE A HDG BUG AS A RWY REF, AND THE COPLT WAS ALSO SOMEWHAT DOUBTFUL. WE WERE ABOUT TO DISCUSS IT FURTHER WHEN THE TWR ABRUPTLY CLRED US INTO POS. WE QUERIED IT AND IT WAS CONFIRMED AND SO I STARTED TO MOVE TOWARD THE RWY AND TURNED MY LIGHTS ON, AT WHICH POINT THE COPLT CALLED 'HOLD IT,' AND AN MLG COMPLETED ITS LNDG ROLL IN FRONT OF US. WE QUERIED THE TWR AGAIN, WHO SAID, 'LET'S CONFIRM WHERE YOU ARE.' AND ANOTHER VOICE ASKED, 'DID YOU PENETRATE THE RWY?', TO WHICH WE COULD SAFELY REPLY 'NO.' IT WAS OF COURSE TOTALLY MY RESPONSIBILITY TO HOLD FAST UNTIL I WAS CERTAIN WHAT WAS GOING ON, DESPITE THE 'ARE WE CLRED ONTO THIS RWY?' 'YES.' INTERCHANGE. STILL, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT POINTS USED FOR INTXN TKOFS BE CLEARLY MARKED. AND SECONDLY, IF POSSIBLE, THE GND CTLR BE AWARE OF HIS MOVEMENTS. AN OUTSTANDING COPLT PREVENTED WHAT MIGHT WELL HAVE BEEN A VERY NASTY OUTCOME.

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.