Narrative:

As we approached runway 22 on taxiway C, ground control cleared us to 'cross 22 and taxi to the ramp.' the ground controller stated that an air carrier Y medium large transport would 'pulling into position to hold' as we crossed. Just before entering the runway, I checked both directions and verbally confirmed our clearance with the copilot. As we began crossing, I noted that the medium large transport was pulling into position as expected. As we reached the northern edge of the runway, the copilot told me it looked as though the medium large transport had begun takeoff roll and was aborting. I saw that the aircraft was, indeed, coming toward us at what I would call a brisk taxi speed. I also noted that the reverser buckets were deployed. The aircraft was still some distance away and no evasive action was necessary. After reaching our operations area, I called the tower supervisor. He stated that the conflict was caused by a miscom between the tower and ground controllers. He also stated that the tower controller saw the conflict developing and aborted the medium large transport. As to prevention of such conflicts in the future, I would like to see a rule made concerning the use of landing lights for takeoff. If landing lights on meant 'I am cleared and intend to take off,' then other pilots and controllers would have a visibility reinforcement of intentions. This would have been particularly helpful in this case, where I was on ground frequency and the other aircraft was on tower.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MINOR GND CONFLICT AS ACR-MLG STARTS TKOF ROLL WITH REPORTER'S MLG STILL ON THE RWY.

Narrative: AS WE APCHED RWY 22 ON TXWY C, GND CTL CLRED US TO 'CROSS 22 AND TAXI TO THE RAMP.' THE GND CTLR STATED THAT AN ACR Y MLG WOULD 'PULLING INTO POS TO HOLD' AS WE CROSSED. JUST BEFORE ENTERING THE RWY, I CHKED BOTH DIRECTIONS AND VERBALLY CONFIRMED OUR CLRNC WITH THE COPLT. AS WE BEGAN XING, I NOTED THAT THE MLG WAS PULLING INTO POS AS EXPECTED. AS WE REACHED THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THE RWY, THE COPLT TOLD ME IT LOOKED AS THOUGH THE MLG HAD BEGUN TKOF ROLL AND WAS ABORTING. I SAW THAT THE ACFT WAS, INDEED, COMING TOWARD US AT WHAT I WOULD CALL A BRISK TAXI SPD. I ALSO NOTED THAT THE REVERSER BUCKETS WERE DEPLOYED. THE ACFT WAS STILL SOME DISTANCE AWAY AND NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS NECESSARY. AFTER REACHING OUR OPS AREA, I CALLED THE TWR SUPVR. HE STATED THAT THE CONFLICT WAS CAUSED BY A MISCOM BTWN THE TWR AND GND CTLRS. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE TWR CTLR SAW THE CONFLICT DEVELOPING AND ABORTED THE MLG. AS TO PREVENTION OF SUCH CONFLICTS IN THE FUTURE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A RULE MADE CONCERNING THE USE OF LNDG LIGHTS FOR TKOF. IF LNDG LIGHTS ON MEANT 'I AM CLRED AND INTEND TO TAKE OFF,' THEN OTHER PLTS AND CTLRS WOULD HAVE A VIS REINFORCEMENT OF INTENTIONS. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY HELPFUL IN THIS CASE, WHERE I WAS ON GND FREQ AND THE OTHER ACFT WAS ON TWR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.