Narrative:

I got taxi clearance to leave gate at phl and 'taxi to 27L via taxiways alpha and charlie hold short runway 27R.' approaching runway 27R on charlie, ground cleared us to 'cross runways 27R -- tower will issue sequence on other side.' prior to crossing I noticed 2 commuter type ltts crossing runway 27R upfield probably on taxiway U as well as a commercial jet on final for runway 27R, none of which seemed to be a potential conflict with us. As we were crossing 27R, I noticed a small single engine small aircraft Y coming towards us on the ground on runway 27R. At first I thought he was on landing rollout or taxiing down the runway (based on his slow speed). Then he rotated and banked sharply to the right presumably to miss us. Factors -- when cleared to cross, all I saw on the runway were 2 commuter aircraft crossing (possibly on taxiway U). The small aircraft Y departing runway 27R was gray or black and because of his small size and color, blended right in with the runway environment. He displayed no taxi or landing light which would have made him more visible. Ground controller was very busy but I commented to first officer how quickly we were getting to the active (prior to crossing runway 27R). There seemed to be 2 ground controller position in us at phl at that time, 121.65 and 121.9. What I believe happened was that tower told ground to cross those guys (meaning commuters on U) and ground crossed us also right into the path of the small aircraft Y who had been cleared for takeoff. Use of an extra controller position for crossing runways (like what is used in bos) might have been helpful as well as specific coordination between controllers. Also it would be easier to see smaller aircraft if they use their landing and taxi lights just like the larger aircraft -- especially at larger airports.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X AUTHORIZED XING OF ACTIVE RWY HAD CONFLICT WITH SMA Y ON TKOF. EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN BY SMA Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: I GOT TAXI CLRNC TO LEAVE GATE AT PHL AND 'TAXI TO 27L VIA TAXIWAYS ALPHA AND CHARLIE HOLD SHORT RWY 27R.' APCHING RWY 27R ON CHARLIE, GND CLRED US TO 'CROSS RWYS 27R -- TWR WILL ISSUE SEQUENCE ON OTHER SIDE.' PRIOR TO XING I NOTICED 2 COMMUTER TYPE LTTS XING RWY 27R UPFIELD PROBABLY ON TAXIWAY U AS WELL AS A COMMERCIAL JET ON FINAL FOR RWY 27R, NONE OF WHICH SEEMED TO BE A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH US. AS WE WERE XING 27R, I NOTICED A SMALL SINGLE ENG SMA Y COMING TOWARDS US ON THE GND ON RWY 27R. AT FIRST I THOUGHT HE WAS ON LNDG ROLLOUT OR TAXIING DOWN THE RWY (BASED ON HIS SLOW SPD). THEN HE ROTATED AND BANKED SHARPLY TO THE R PRESUMABLY TO MISS US. FACTORS -- WHEN CLRED TO CROSS, ALL I SAW ON THE RWY WERE 2 COMMUTER ACFT XING (POSSIBLY ON TAXIWAY U). THE SMA Y DEPARTING RWY 27R WAS GRAY OR BLACK AND BECAUSE OF HIS SMALL SIZE AND COLOR, BLENDED RIGHT IN WITH THE RWY ENVIRONMENT. HE DISPLAYED NO TAXI OR LNDG LIGHT WHICH WOULD HAVE MADE HIM MORE VISIBLE. GND CTLR WAS VERY BUSY BUT I COMMENTED TO FO HOW QUICKLY WE WERE GETTING TO THE ACTIVE (PRIOR TO XING RWY 27R). THERE SEEMED TO BE 2 GND CTLR POS IN US AT PHL AT THAT TIME, 121.65 AND 121.9. WHAT I BELIEVE HAPPENED WAS THAT TWR TOLD GND TO CROSS THOSE GUYS (MEANING COMMUTERS ON U) AND GND CROSSED US ALSO RIGHT INTO THE PATH OF THE SMA Y WHO HAD BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF. USE OF AN EXTRA CTLR POS FOR XING RWYS (LIKE WHAT IS USED IN BOS) MIGHT HAVE BEEN HELPFUL AS WELL AS SPECIFIC COORD BTWN CTLRS. ALSO IT WOULD BE EASIER TO SEE SMALLER ACFT IF THEY USE THEIR LNDG AND TAXI LIGHTS JUST LIKE THE LARGER ACFT -- ESPECIALLY AT LARGER ARPTS.

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.