ATC operational error. Runway crossing versus aircraft cleared for takeoff on same runway.

Attributes
ACN	192033
Time
Date	199110
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
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	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	192033
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	192029
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : rejected takeoff flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

We landed on 35R and took second high speed exit and received clearance to cross and proceeded as instructed when first officer observed that large transport Y on the inboard runway had his power up. I elected to continue to cross rather than stop as I wasn't sure I could remain clear. I had heard the other aircraft (Y) cleared and assumed that he was in the air and out of our vision. Controller after the fact instructed the other aircraft to abort. The first officer and I were firm in our belief that we were cleared to cross. Supplemental information from acn 192029: it appeared to us in the cockpit that large transport Y pilot had aborted his takeoff roll prior to the call from the tower to cancel takeoff clearance. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter participated in structured callback for runway incursion study. Since incident the reporter has received letter from his company chief pilot to the effect that FAA facility had listened to tapes and determined incident was controller error. Reporter told story of conflict with VFR aircraft on another occasion in vicinity of dfw airport. Reporter says dfw tower procedures seem very cumbersome and add to frequency congestion. He described the departure taxi procedure. Reporter cited problem with taxiways not having any lighted signs and flcs cannot accurately determine exact position at night. Taxiways involved are those numbered 20 through 30.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC OPERROR. RWY XING VERSUS ACFT CLRED FOR TKOF ON SAME RWY.

Narrative: WE LANDED ON 35R AND TOOK SECOND HIGH SPD EXIT AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO CROSS AND PROCEEDED AS INSTRUCTED WHEN FO OBSERVED THAT LGT Y ON THE INBOARD RWY HAD HIS PWR UP. I ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO CROSS RATHER THAN STOP AS I WASN'T SURE I COULD REMAIN CLR. I HAD HEARD THE OTHER ACFT (Y) CLRED AND ASSUMED THAT HE WAS IN THE AIR AND OUT OF OUR VISION. CTLR AFTER THE FACT INSTRUCTED THE OTHER ACFT TO ABORT. THE FO AND I WERE FIRM IN OUR BELIEF THAT WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 192029: IT APPEARED TO US IN THE COCKPIT THAT LGT Y PLT HAD ABORTED HIS TKOF ROLL PRIOR TO THE CALL FROM THE TWR TO CANCEL TKOF CLRNC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR PARTICIPATED IN STRUCTURED CALLBACK FOR RWY INCURSION STUDY. SINCE INCIDENT THE RPTR HAS RECEIVED LETTER FROM HIS COMPANY CHIEF PLT TO THE EFFECT THAT FAA FACILITY HAD LISTENED TO TAPES AND DETERMINED INCIDENT WAS CTLR ERROR. RPTR TOLD STORY OF CONFLICT WITH VFR ACFT ON ANOTHER OCCASION IN VICINITY OF DFW ARPT. RPTR SAYS DFW TWR PROCS SEEM VERY CUMBERSOME AND ADD TO FREQ CONGESTION. HE DESCRIBED THE DEP TAXI PROC. RPTR CITED PROBLEM WITH TAXIWAYS NOT HAVING ANY LIGHTED SIGNS AND FLCS CANNOT ACCURATELY DETERMINE EXACT POS AT NIGHT. TAXIWAYS INVOLVED ARE THOSE NUMBERED 20 THROUGH 30.

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.