Tower unable to communication with small aircraft on runway awaiting takeoff clearance with large tr...

Attributes
ACN	187143
Time
Date	199108
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pdx
State Reference	OR
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	ground : holding
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	187143
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 18 flight time total : 520 flight time type : 310
ASRS Report	187238
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were cleared 'into position and hold, prepare for an immediate takeoff, xx jet on a 7 mi final'. We acknowledged we were ready for an immediate departure as we taxied into position. The aircraft landing did not exit until well down the 8000 ft runway. As we sat there waiting we heard the xx jet inbound call a 6 mi final. Tower 'rogered', 'cleared to land'. About this time the small aircraft aircraft cleared the runway. We expected an immediate release and after a short pause (it sounded like a brief carrier wave but no voice on the tower frequency) I called the tower and asked if we were cleared for takeoff. No response from the tower. The xx called a 5 mi final. I called the tower again, 'are we cleared for takeoff'? No response. The xx called a 3 or 4 mi final. I called the tower again and still got no response. Then the xx aircraft called a 2 mi final. At this time an small transport jet holding short of the runway transmitted on the tower frequency 'xx jet there is an small aircraft on the end of the runway'. The xx then transmitted 'going around'. A few moments later we saw the airliner pass over our aircraft in the process of a go around. After the airliner passed by the tower, the tower transmitted for us to 'expedite off the runway, your radio is not suitable for flight'. We exited the runway via the first taxiway and contacted ground. I contacted pdx ground and requested to 'taxi back for departure'. Ground responded 'taxi to 28R'. Incredible. We almost had an xx jet land on top of us. I don't know what happened in the tower -- a controller change in progress or what. Looking back on the incident, I probably should have taxied back off the runway after the tower didn't answer my second call. Although I believe the xx jet knew we were still on the runway, the small transport jet transmission may have saved our lives. I don't believe I will ever taxi into position and hold on a runway again unless I can see the final approach path while awaiting clearance for takeoff.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR UNABLE TO COM WITH SMA ON RWY AWAITING TKOF CLRNC WITH LGT JET ON FINAL. JET WENT AROUND SMA AND TWR COMMUNICATED, SMA TAXIED OFF RWY AND WAS RECLRED FOR TKOF.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED 'INTO POS AND HOLD, PREPARE FOR AN IMMEDIATE TKOF, XX JET ON A 7 MI FINAL'. WE ACKNOWLEDGED WE WERE READY FOR AN IMMEDIATE DEP AS WE TAXIED INTO POS. THE ACFT LNDG DID NOT EXIT UNTIL WELL DOWN THE 8000 FT RWY. AS WE SAT THERE WAITING WE HEARD THE XX JET INBOUND CALL A 6 MI FINAL. TWR 'ROGERED', 'CLRED TO LAND'. ABOUT THIS TIME THE SMA ACFT CLRED THE RWY. WE EXPECTED AN IMMEDIATE RELEASE AND AFTER A SHORT PAUSE (IT SOUNDED LIKE A BRIEF CARRIER WAVE BUT NO VOICE ON THE TWR FREQ) I CALLED THE TWR AND ASKED IF WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. NO RESPONSE FROM THE TWR. THE XX CALLED A 5 MI FINAL. I CALLED THE TWR AGAIN, 'ARE WE CLRED FOR TKOF'? NO RESPONSE. THE XX CALLED A 3 OR 4 MI FINAL. I CALLED THE TWR AGAIN AND STILL GOT NO RESPONSE. THEN THE XX ACFT CALLED A 2 MI FINAL. AT THIS TIME AN SMT JET HOLDING SHORT OF THE RWY XMITTED ON THE TWR FREQ 'XX JET THERE IS AN SMA ON THE END OF THE RWY'. THE XX THEN XMITTED 'GOING AROUND'. A FEW MOMENTS LATER WE SAW THE AIRLINER PASS OVER OUR ACFT IN THE PROCESS OF A GAR. AFTER THE AIRLINER PASSED BY THE TWR, THE TWR XMITTED FOR US TO 'EXPEDITE OFF THE RWY, YOUR RADIO IS NOT SUITABLE FOR FLT'. WE EXITED THE RWY VIA THE FIRST TAXIWAY AND CONTACTED GND. I CONTACTED PDX GND AND REQUESTED TO 'TAXI BACK FOR DEP'. GND RESPONDED 'TAXI TO 28R'. INCREDIBLE. WE ALMOST HAD AN XX JET LAND ON TOP OF US. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN THE TWR -- A CTLR CHANGE IN PROGRESS OR WHAT. LOOKING BACK ON THE INCIDENT, I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE TAXIED BACK OFF THE RWY AFTER THE TWR DIDN'T ANSWER MY SECOND CALL. ALTHOUGH I BELIEVE THE XX JET KNEW WE WERE STILL ON THE RWY, THE SMT JET XMISSION MAY HAVE SAVED OUR LIVES. I DON'T BELIEVE I WILL EVER TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD ON A RWY AGAIN UNLESS I CAN SEE THE FINAL APCH PATH WHILE AWAITING CLRNC FOR TKOF.

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.

Tower unable to communication with small aircraft on runway awaiting takeoff clearance with large transport jet on final. Jet went around small aircraft and tower communicated, small aircraft taxied off runway and was reclred for takeoff.