Narrative:

We were #2 for departure on runway 24R at lax. The first aircraft was cleared on the runway for takeoff. At this time my first officer began to make the departure passenger announcement to the F/a's. Simultaneously, lax tower, as I understood the controller, said '(our flight #) cleared into position and hold.' since the first officer was still making his passenger announcement, I acknowledged, '(our flight #) position and hold.' as I crossed the hold line for 24R, I noticed an aircraft on about a 1 1/2 mi final for runway 24 (24L was closed). I commented to the first officer, who was now back on the #1 VHF radio, that we'd better be ready for an immediate takeoff due to the traffic on final. Lax tower then informed us that we were only cleared to hold short of runway 24R. (The traffic on final had to go around.) I told tower that I heard '(our flight #) cleared into position and hold' and that I responded with the same phraseology. I talked to the tower operator after takeoff and he said all he heard was 'XXXX.' this incident was the result of a gross miscom by either myself or the tower operator--or both. A blocked transmission could also be a possibility. Also, had I seen the aircraft on final before being committed to the active runway, I would have questioned the position and hold clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT UNDERSTOOD 'CLEARED INTO POSITION AND HOLD.' TWR CLEARED TO HOLD SHORT. FO MAKING PASSENGER ANNOUNCEMENT AND DIDN'T HEAR. ACFT ON FINAL WENT AROUND.

Narrative: WE WERE #2 FOR DEP ON RWY 24R AT LAX. THE FIRST ACFT WAS CLRED ON THE RWY FOR TKOF. AT THIS TIME MY F/O BEGAN TO MAKE THE DEP PAX ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE F/A'S. SIMULTANEOUSLY, LAX TWR, AS I UNDERSTOOD THE CTLR, SAID '(OUR FLT #) CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD.' SINCE THE F/O WAS STILL MAKING HIS PAX ANNOUNCEMENT, I ACKNOWLEDGED, '(OUR FLT #) POS AND HOLD.' AS I CROSSED THE HOLD LINE FOR 24R, I NOTICED AN ACFT ON ABOUT A 1 1/2 MI FINAL FOR RWY 24 (24L WAS CLOSED). I COMMENTED TO THE F/O, WHO WAS NOW BACK ON THE #1 VHF RADIO, THAT WE'D BETTER BE READY FOR AN IMMEDIATE TKOF DUE TO THE TFC ON FINAL. LAX TWR THEN INFORMED US THAT WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 24R. (THE TFC ON FINAL HAD TO GO AROUND.) I TOLD TWR THAT I HEARD '(OUR FLT #) CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD' AND THAT I RESPONDED WITH THE SAME PHRASEOLOGY. I TALKED TO THE TWR OPERATOR AFTER TKOF AND HE SAID ALL HE HEARD WAS 'XXXX.' THIS INCIDENT WAS THE RESULT OF A GROSS MISCOM BY EITHER MYSELF OR THE TWR OPERATOR--OR BOTH. A BLOCKED XMISSION COULD ALSO BE A POSSIBILITY. ALSO, HAD I SEEN THE ACFT ON FINAL BEFORE BEING COMMITTED TO THE ACTIVE RWY, I WOULD HAVE QUESTIONED THE POS AND HOLD CLRNC.

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.