Narrative:

The tower operator at sna cleared flight to taxi to runway 19R and hold. It was understood that the words were to taxi into position and hold. Another aircraft, a light single, was also holding in position for takeoff but down field from departure end of runway. Upon taxiing into position, the tower cleared us for immediate takeoff due aircraft on 2 mi final for same runway. Then he said that he had not cleared us into position, but to hold short. The cockpit crew disagreed and applied takeoff power to start takeoff roll. The aircraft inbound to the same runway was issued go around instructions, and no other communications were conducted, except for the tower to departure handoff from sna tower. Conclusion is that if aircraft was cleared to taxi to runway 19R and hold, it should be stated, 'cleared to taxi to runway 18R and hold short due landing traffic.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG UNAUTH RWY ENTRY CAUSES GA SMA GO AROUND AT SNA.

Narrative: THE TWR OPERATOR AT SNA CLRED FLT TO TAXI TO RWY 19R AND HOLD. IT WAS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE WORDS WERE TO TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD. ANOTHER ACFT, A LIGHT SINGLE, WAS ALSO HOLDING IN POS FOR TKOF BUT DOWN FIELD FROM DEP END OF RWY. UPON TAXIING INTO POS, THE TWR CLRED US FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF DUE ACFT ON 2 MI FINAL FOR SAME RWY. THEN HE SAID THAT HE HAD NOT CLRED US INTO POS, BUT TO HOLD SHORT. THE COCKPIT CREW DISAGREED AND APPLIED TKOF PWR TO START TKOF ROLL. THE ACFT INBND TO THE SAME RWY WAS ISSUED GAR INSTRUCTIONS, AND NO OTHER COMS WERE CONDUCTED, EXCEPT FOR THE TWR TO DEP HDOF FROM SNA TWR. CONCLUSION IS THAT IF ACFT WAS CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 19R AND HOLD, IT SHOULD BE STATED, 'CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 18R AND HOLD SHORT DUE LNDG TFC.'

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.