Narrative:

We exited the active runway at dca, and the copilot contacted ground control telling him we were clear and our intention was to taxi to 'triple-park' gate xy. The controller cleared us to our gate, but must have misunderstood our 'triple park' request. This became evident as we taxied all the way to a point behind gate xy (which was already occupied, with the boarding gate in use). The ground controller evidently misunderstood the 'triple-park' scenario (it is used daily at dca because of ramp congestion) because after arriving at the 'triple-park' spot behind gate xy he asked us if we were given a new gate. It seemed as if he expected us to hold short of the gate until the occupying aircraft had cleared before continuing inbound. I do not feel we became a conflict to other traffic, however, the possibility exists when there is a miscom of this sort. Both pilots and controllers should become familiar with the daily occurrence of the 'triple-park' scenario, and pilots should ascertain that the controllers understand their intention to do so. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: I believe our company has worked out an agreement with the airport authorities for this triple park procedure. We park out beyond the aircraft at the gate and unload our passenger with the air stair and escort them to the terminal. It is done every day. I believe in this instance where the controller was questioning our procedure that he was not aware of what we were going to do. This is done every day and does not conflict with taxiing traffic.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG TRIPLE PARKED AT DCA. TWR GND CTLR APPARENTLY HAD EXPECTED THE FLT TO GO TO ANOTHER GATE.

Narrative: WE EXITED THE ACTIVE RWY AT DCA, AND THE COPLT CONTACTED GND CTL TELLING HIM WE WERE CLEAR AND OUR INTENTION WAS TO TAXI TO 'TRIPLE-PARK' GATE XY. THE CTLR CLRED US TO OUR GATE, BUT MUST HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD OUR 'TRIPLE PARK' REQUEST. THIS BECAME EVIDENT AS WE TAXIED ALL THE WAY TO A POINT BEHIND GATE XY (WHICH WAS ALREADY OCCUPIED, WITH THE BOARDING GATE IN USE). THE GND CTLR EVIDENTLY MISUNDERSTOOD THE 'TRIPLE-PARK' SCENARIO (IT IS USED DAILY AT DCA BECAUSE OF RAMP CONGESTION) BECAUSE AFTER ARRIVING AT THE 'TRIPLE-PARK' SPOT BEHIND GATE XY HE ASKED US IF WE WERE GIVEN A NEW GATE. IT SEEMED AS IF HE EXPECTED US TO HOLD SHORT OF THE GATE UNTIL THE OCCUPYING ACFT HAD CLRED BEFORE CONTINUING INBND. I DO NOT FEEL WE BECAME A CONFLICT TO OTHER TFC, HOWEVER, THE POSSIBILITY EXISTS WHEN THERE IS A MISCOM OF THIS SORT. BOTH PLTS AND CTLRS SHOULD BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE DAILY OCCURRENCE OF THE 'TRIPLE-PARK' SCENARIO, AND PLTS SHOULD ASCERTAIN THAT THE CTLRS UNDERSTAND THEIR INTENTION TO DO SO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: I BELIEVE OUR COMPANY HAS WORKED OUT AN AGREEMENT WITH THE ARPT AUTHORITIES FOR THIS TRIPLE PARK PROC. WE PARK OUT BEYOND THE ACFT AT THE GATE AND UNLOAD OUR PAX WITH THE AIR STAIR AND ESCORT THEM TO THE TERMINAL. IT IS DONE EVERY DAY. I BELIEVE IN THIS INSTANCE WHERE THE CTLR WAS QUESTIONING OUR PROC THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE OF WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO. THIS IS DONE EVERY DAY AND DOES NOT CONFLICT WITH TAXIING TFC.

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.