Flight crew confused by ATC communication procedure. Unable callback.

Attributes
ACN	163984
Time
Date	199011
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 320
ASRS Report	163984
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

After landing 30R stl, tower advised to hold short 30L and contact ground. We acknowledged several times, however did not contact GNS as we understood to contact ground after crossing 30L. We held short of 30L. Did not attempt to cross, but stayed with tower until advised again to contact ground, which we did. Ground was upset that we had not switched over, although we were holding short with no conflict. This procedure is directly contrary to every other airport this captain operates into. Someday, someone will hear 'contact ground' and believe they area supposed to cross 30L and then contact ground on the other side, as is SOP elsewhere. Solution: stay with tower until clear of all active runways, like the rest of the airports.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW CONFUSED BY ATC COM PROC. UNABLE CALLBACK.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG 30R STL, TWR ADVISED TO HOLD SHORT 30L AND CONTACT GND. WE ACKNOWLEDGED SEVERAL TIMES, HOWEVER DID NOT CONTACT GNS AS WE UNDERSTOOD TO CONTACT GND AFTER XING 30L. WE HELD SHORT OF 30L. DID NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS, BUT STAYED WITH TWR UNTIL ADVISED AGAIN TO CONTACT GND, WHICH WE DID. GND WAS UPSET THAT WE HAD NOT SWITCHED OVER, ALTHOUGH WE WERE HOLDING SHORT WITH NO CONFLICT. THIS PROC IS DIRECTLY CONTRARY TO EVERY OTHER ARPT THIS CAPT OPERATES INTO. SOMEDAY, SOMEONE WILL HEAR 'CONTACT GND' AND BELIEVE THEY AREA SUPPOSED TO CROSS 30L AND THEN CONTACT GND ON THE OTHER SIDE, AS IS SOP ELSEWHERE. SOLUTION: STAY WITH TWR UNTIL CLR OF ALL ACTIVE RWYS, LIKE THE REST OF THE ARPTS.

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.