Air carrier X has less than standard separation from air carrier Y. System error.

Attributes
ACN	192383
Time
Date	199110
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dca
State Reference	DC
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
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 10600
ASRS Report	192383
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 50 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Air carrier X was taxiing on 'J' with a clearance to hold short of runway 15. Approaching the intersection of taxiway 'india' we were given a clearance to 'cross runway 15, pull into the holding block for runway 18 on the other side, and contact tower on 119.1.' as we approached runway 15 (about 15 ft) the first officer noticed air carrier Y which we thought was holding for our crossing had commenced his takeoff roll. I immediately applied vigorous braking and turned the aircraft to the left away from the runway. Air carrier Y proceeded with his takeoff and we immediately questioned ground control about the nature of our clearance. He stated 'hold short of 15' and then asked if we were on the runway. We replied that we couldn't be sure if a wing tip might be over the runway boundary. Subsequently we were cleared to cross runway 15.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HAS LTSS FROM ACR Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: ACR X WAS TAXIING ON 'J' WITH A CLRNC TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 15. APCHING THE INTXN OF TAXIWAY 'INDIA' WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO 'CROSS RWY 15, PULL INTO THE HOLDING BLOCK FOR RWY 18 ON THE OTHER SIDE, AND CONTACT TWR ON 119.1.' AS WE APCHED RWY 15 (ABOUT 15 FT) THE FO NOTICED ACR Y WHICH WE THOUGHT WAS HOLDING FOR OUR XING HAD COMMENCED HIS TKOF ROLL. I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED VIGOROUS BRAKING AND TURNED THE ACFT TO THE L AWAY FROM THE RWY. ACR Y PROCEEDED WITH HIS TKOF AND WE IMMEDIATELY QUESTIONED GND CTL ABOUT THE NATURE OF OUR CLRNC. HE STATED 'HOLD SHORT OF 15' AND THEN ASKED IF WE WERE ON THE RWY. WE REPLIED THAT WE COULDN'T BE SURE IF A WING TIP MIGHT BE OVER THE RWY BOUNDARY. SUBSEQUENTLY WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS RWY 15.

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.