Narrative:

After landing on runway 28R at sfo in clear WX at night, we exited on taxiway east and were cleared to cross runway 28L. As we taxied clear of 28L on taxiway east, my first officer was switching the radio to 121.8 to call ground. He gave us a call, 'outer G inner H to the gate.' no mention of the medium large transport. I was watching an air carrier a widebody transport pushing back from international terminal onto the inner taxiway. My so said 'captain do you see, pause, air carrier B?' my first thought was the widebody transport, until I heard the word 'air carrier B.' I looked right and saw an air carrier B medium large transport closing fast just off to our right front. Air carrier B's taxi lights were not on when I heard 'air carrier B' I stopped the widebody transport on the spot. I remained stopped for about 1 min, as we reflected on how close we came to being involved in a serious ground collision and thanking our very observant so for saving ours and air carrier B's night. Ground asked something about our delay. I told him what had just happened, he thanked us for the information. Some suggestionsecond officerbservations: ask tower and ground controllers to coordinate aircraft exiting the runway environment to the ground/ramp areas. Had the tower or ground said 'give way to the air carrier B medium large transport', that would have helped. Had the air carrier B medium large transport had his taxi lights on, we may have seen him sooner, also his taxi speed seemed fast as he passed our 12 O'clock position. There is a gray area as to when we are clear of a runway and who has the right of way, when 2 aircraft are in this type of a situation. Now lets see what's good about this. CCC taught us to be assertive as my so was! It taught me to accept his input and act on it expeditiously. The extra set of eyes looking out the window was our savior.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB ALMOST COLLIDES WITH MLG WHILE TAXIING AT NIGHT.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG ON RWY 28R AT SFO IN CLR WX AT NIGHT, WE EXITED ON TAXIWAY E AND WERE CLRED TO CROSS RWY 28L. AS WE TAXIED CLR OF 28L ON TAXIWAY E, MY FO WAS SWITCHING THE RADIO TO 121.8 TO CALL GND. HE GAVE US A CALL, 'OUTER G INNER H TO THE GATE.' NO MENTION OF THE MLG. I WAS WATCHING AN ACR A WDB PUSHING BACK FROM INTL TERMINAL ONTO THE INNER TAXIWAY. MY SO SAID 'CAPT DO YOU SEE, PAUSE, ACR B?' MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THE WDB, UNTIL I HEARD THE WORD 'ACR B.' I LOOKED R AND SAW AN ACR B MLG CLOSING FAST JUST OFF TO OUR R FRONT. ACR B'S TAXI LIGHTS WERE NOT ON WHEN I HEARD 'ACR B' I STOPPED THE WDB ON THE SPOT. I REMAINED STOPPED FOR ABOUT 1 MIN, AS WE REFLECTED ON HOW CLOSE WE CAME TO BEING INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS GND COLLISION AND THANKING OUR VERY OBSERVANT SO FOR SAVING OURS AND ACR B'S NIGHT. GND ASKED SOMETHING ABOUT OUR DELAY. I TOLD HIM WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED, HE THANKED US FOR THE INFO. SOME SUGGESTIONS/OBSERVATIONS: ASK TWR AND GND CTLRS TO COORDINATE ACFT EXITING THE RWY ENVIRONMENT TO THE GND/RAMP AREAS. HAD THE TWR OR GND SAID 'GIVE WAY TO THE ACR B MLG', THAT WOULD HAVE HELPED. HAD THE ACR B MLG HAD HIS TAXI LIGHTS ON, WE MAY HAVE SEEN HIM SOONER, ALSO HIS TAXI SPD SEEMED FAST AS HE PASSED OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS. THERE IS A GRAY AREA AS TO WHEN WE ARE CLR OF A RWY AND WHO HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY, WHEN 2 ACFT ARE IN THIS TYPE OF A SITUATION. NOW LETS SEE WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT THIS. CCC TAUGHT US TO BE ASSERTIVE AS MY SO WAS! IT TAUGHT ME TO ACCEPT HIS INPUT AND ACT ON IT EXPEDITIOUSLY. THE EXTRA SET OF EYES LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW WAS OUR SAVIOR.

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.