Narrative:

Following landing and exit runway 9R, instructed by tower to switch to 121.9 for taxi. Ground control cleared us (air carrier X) to 'turn left on 'a' and proceed to south entrance.' while taxiing on 'a', in clockwise flow, about a plane length behind an air carrier Y fokker, observed an air carrier Z md-80 exiting the air carrier Z alley. The air carrier Z plane was about our 2 O'clock position, 3 or 4 plane lengths from centerline taxiway a, at initial observation. As we continued our taxi on 'a', air carrier Z continued exit of alley, angling its approach to taxiway a, so as to create a collision course with us. We queried ground control as to intentions of air carrier Z plane and asked if they were in communications. Following several seconds of silence, ground control replied that they 'didn't know what the air carrier Z plane was doing,' at which point I stopped to avoid possible collision. The air carrier Z plane continued its irregular entry onto taxiway a and successfully 'cut us off.' the air carrier Z captain (in clear view from our cockpit position) never acknowledged our presence via radio or visually. Ground control apologized for the mishap. We continued our taxi behind the air carrier Z plane on 'a' to the air carrier X south entrance exiting there. Although no official explanation given, I suspect that the air carrier Z plane was not on frequency 121.9 at time of entry onto taxiway a. That solution is obvious. However, even if on a different frequency, a PIC should not ignore a potentially hazardous situation and hope that the other PIC acts responsibly. Both aircraft should have stopped.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B727 CAPT COMPLAINS ABOUT THE TAXI PROC AT ORD.

Narrative: FOLLOWING LNDG AND EXIT RWY 9R, INSTRUCTED BY TWR TO SWITCH TO 121.9 FOR TAXI. GND CTL CLRED US (ACR X) TO 'TURN L ON 'A' AND PROCEED TO S ENTRANCE.' WHILE TAXIING ON 'A', IN CLOCKWISE FLOW, ABOUT A PLANE LENGTH BEHIND AN ACR Y FOKKER, OBSERVED AN ACR Z MD-80 EXITING THE ACR Z ALLEY. THE ACR Z PLANE WAS ABOUT OUR 2 O'CLOCK POS, 3 OR 4 PLANE LENGTHS FROM CTRLINE TXWY A, AT INITIAL OBSERVATION. AS WE CONTINUED OUR TAXI ON 'A', ACR Z CONTINUED EXIT OF ALLEY, ANGLING ITS APCH TO TXWY A, SO AS TO CREATE A COLLISION COURSE WITH US. WE QUERIED GND CTL AS TO INTENTIONS OF ACR Z PLANE AND ASKED IF THEY WERE IN COMS. FOLLOWING SEVERAL SECONDS OF SILENCE, GND CTL REPLIED THAT THEY 'DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE ACR Z PLANE WAS DOING,' AT WHICH POINT I STOPPED TO AVOID POSSIBLE COLLISION. THE ACR Z PLANE CONTINUED ITS IRREGULAR ENTRY ONTO TXWY A AND SUCCESSFULLY 'CUT US OFF.' THE ACR Z CAPT (IN CLR VIEW FROM OUR COCKPIT POS) NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED OUR PRESENCE VIA RADIO OR VISUALLY. GND CTL APOLOGIZED FOR THE MISHAP. WE CONTINUED OUR TAXI BEHIND THE ACR Z PLANE ON 'A' TO THE ACR X S ENTRANCE EXITING THERE. ALTHOUGH NO OFFICIAL EXPLANATION GIVEN, I SUSPECT THAT THE ACR Z PLANE WAS NOT ON FREQ 121.9 AT TIME OF ENTRY ONTO TXWY A. THAT SOLUTION IS OBVIOUS. HOWEVER, EVEN IF ON A DIFFERENT FREQ, A PIC SHOULD NOT IGNORE A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SIT AND HOPE THAT THE OTHER PIC ACTS RESPONSIBLY. BOTH ACFT SHOULD HAVE STOPPED.

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.