Narrative:

We were cleared to hold in position on runway 19L. We were then told to 'make a 180 degree and exit the runway' by the tower. We couldn't exit the runway due to a commuter (a) blocking the approach end of 19L at the ILS hold line. We taxied down the runway to the high speed taxiway and called clear. Tower told air carrier Y to follow us and he replied 'air carrier X is still on the runway', tower 'he is!!!???'. Needless to say it was a big surprise to them we wouldn't talk to the tower due to congested radio traffic. Tower couldn't see us due to poor visibility. A good scenario for another lax or tenerife. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that a runway change was taking place when incident occurred. Apparently the change took longer than expected and the reporter was instructed to clear the runway to allow a company aircraft to land on runway 1R. The WX was bad with blowing snow and reduced visibility. Reporter never saw the other aircraft landing. He does not know if there was less than standard separation or not since he did not see the aircraft. The statement made to tower that there was an aircraft on the runway was made by the commuter aircraft holding clear of runway 19L. The company aircraft ended up making a missed approach. Reporter went back to gate and got deiced before taking off again. Reporter also stated that the taxi distance to the high speed taxiway is about 2400 ft. His comment about being clear of the runway could have been made prior to company aircraft being over the boundary. Reporter said that local controller and ground clearance positions were combined at the time and that the frequency was congested.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ACFT APPARENTLY CLRED ONTO RWY IN THE FACE OF LNDG TFC.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO HOLD IN POS ON RWY 19L. WE WERE THEN TOLD TO 'MAKE A 180 DEG AND EXIT THE RWY' BY THE TWR. WE COULDN'T EXIT THE RWY DUE TO A COMMUTER (A) BLOCKING THE APCH END OF 19L AT THE ILS HOLD LINE. WE TAXIED DOWN THE RWY TO THE HIGH SPD TAXIWAY AND CALLED CLR. TWR TOLD ACR Y TO FOLLOW US AND HE REPLIED 'ACR X IS STILL ON THE RWY', TWR 'HE IS!!!???'. NEEDLESS TO SAY IT WAS A BIG SURPRISE TO THEM WE WOULDN'T TALK TO THE TWR DUE TO CONGESTED RADIO TFC. TWR COULDN'T SEE US DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY. A GOOD SCENARIO FOR ANOTHER LAX OR TENERIFE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT A RWY CHANGE WAS TAKING PLACE WHEN INCIDENT OCCURRED. APPARENTLY THE CHANGE TOOK LONGER THAN EXPECTED AND THE RPTR WAS INSTRUCTED TO CLR THE RWY TO ALLOW A COMPANY ACFT TO LAND ON RWY 1R. THE WX WAS BAD WITH BLOWING SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITY. RPTR NEVER SAW THE OTHER ACFT LNDG. HE DOES NOT KNOW IF THERE WAS LTSS OR NOT SINCE HE DID NOT SEE THE ACFT. THE STATEMENT MADE TO TWR THAT THERE WAS AN ACFT ON THE RWY WAS MADE BY THE COMMUTER ACFT HOLDING CLR OF RWY 19L. THE COMPANY ACFT ENDED UP MAKING A MISSED APCH. RPTR WENT BACK TO GATE AND GOT DEICED BEFORE TAKING OFF AGAIN. RPTR ALSO STATED THAT THE TAXI DISTANCE TO THE HIGH SPD TAXIWAY IS ABOUT 2400 FT. HIS COMMENT ABOUT BEING CLR OF THE RWY COULD HAVE BEEN MADE PRIOR TO COMPANY ACFT BEING OVER THE BOUNDARY. RPTR SAID THAT LCL CTLR AND GND CLRNC POSITIONS WERE COMBINED AT THE TIME AND THAT THE FREQ WAS CONGESTED.

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.