Narrative:

At approximately XY05, we called ground control for pushback clearance from gate at lax, and we were instructed to hold the push and await callback. There was very heavy traffic on the ramps and txwys. At about XX15 we were cleared pushback onto taxiway K and to expect runway 25R for departure. After completing pushback and engine start we called for taxi clearance at about XX18, and were initially instructed to wait for a company dc-10 to pass on taxiway J, then turn at taxiway 42 to taxiway J for taxi to runway 25 right. That clearance was immediately canceled and we were instructed to hold position. At about XX25 we received taxi clearance, which I understood to be to taxi out taxiway 42 and transition to the inner (taxiway K) at 36. At the time this seemed reasonable, as there was opposite direction traffic ahead of us on taxiway K, while taxiway J was clear. I initiated taxi following these instructions, and as I was completing my turn onto taxiway J from runway 42, I saw that another aircraft (opposite direction) was also about to complete a turn onto taxiway J at taxiway 36. We both came to a stop upon seeing our blocked paths. Ground control immediately recognized the situation and asked if either of us was able to reverse our directions to resolve the conflict. Neither of us were in a position on the txwys to safely execute the maneuver. Ground control requested that we coordinate with our company operations to arrange for a tug to come out and push us clear of taxiway J. They pointed out that my original clearance was to taxi from taxiway 42 and to transition from the inner to the outer at taxiway 36. Our tug arrived at about XX35, and shortly thereafter the problem was resolved uneventfully.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 767 FLC CONFUSED REGARDING TAXI CLRNC TURNS ON TXWY AS OPPOSITE DIRECTION DOES THE SAME.

Narrative: AT APPROX XY05, WE CALLED GND CTL FOR PUSHBACK CLRNC FROM GATE AT LAX, AND WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO HOLD THE PUSH AND AWAIT CALLBACK. THERE WAS VERY HVY TFC ON THE RAMPS AND TXWYS. AT ABOUT XX15 WE WERE CLRED PUSHBACK ONTO TXWY K AND TO EXPECT RWY 25R FOR DEP. AFTER COMPLETING PUSHBACK AND ENG START WE CALLED FOR TAXI CLRNC AT ABOUT XX18, AND WERE INITIALLY INSTRUCTED TO WAIT FOR A COMPANY DC-10 TO PASS ON TXWY J, THEN TURN AT TXWY 42 TO TXWY J FOR TAXI TO RWY 25 R. THAT CLRNC WAS IMMEDIATELY CANCELED AND WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO HOLD POS. AT ABOUT XX25 WE RECEIVED TAXI CLRNC, WHICH I UNDERSTOOD TO BE TO TAXI OUT TXWY 42 AND TRANSITION TO THE INNER (TXWY K) AT 36. AT THE TIME THIS SEEMED REASONABLE, AS THERE WAS OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC AHEAD OF US ON TXWY K, WHILE TXWY J WAS CLR. I INITIATED TAXI FOLLOWING THESE INSTRUCTIONS, AND AS I WAS COMPLETING MY TURN ONTO TXWY J FROM RWY 42, I SAW THAT ANOTHER ACFT (OPPOSITE DIRECTION) WAS ALSO ABOUT TO COMPLETE A TURN ONTO TXWY J AT TXWY 36. WE BOTH CAME TO A STOP UPON SEEING OUR BLOCKED PATHS. GND CTL IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED THE SIT AND ASKED IF EITHER OF US WAS ABLE TO REVERSE OUR DIRECTIONS TO RESOLVE THE CONFLICT. NEITHER OF US WERE IN A POS ON THE TXWYS TO SAFELY EXECUTE THE MANEUVER. GND CTL REQUESTED THAT WE COORDINATE WITH OUR COMPANY OPS TO ARRANGE FOR A TUG TO COME OUT AND PUSH US CLR OF TXWY J. THEY POINTED OUT THAT MY ORIGINAL CLRNC WAS TO TAXI FROM TXWY 42 AND TO TRANSITION FROM THE INNER TO THE OUTER AT TXWY 36. OUR TUG ARRIVED AT ABOUT XX35, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE PROB WAS RESOLVED UNEVENTFULLY.

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.