Narrative:

We were given a taxi clearance to taxi to runway 9R, follow the MD80 on our left. At first there was confusion as to which MD80, this was resolved with ground control. Our taxi following the other aircraft included turning left on a taxiway then right on taxiway M5 and turning right again on taxiway M to runway 9R. This route required crossing runway 14R on taxiway M. Runway 14R was being used for lndgs with hold short of runway 9R clrncs. We were never given instructions to change to tower frequency nor did we hear other aircraft receive that instruction. No hold short of runway 14R clearance was ever given to our aircraft. Upon finally contacting tower on our own when #3 for takeoff the tower controller implied that we had crossed runway 14R during taxi without clearance to do so. We believe our clearance to taxi behind the other aircraft to runway 9R was our clearance to cross runway 14R. No aircraft were on short final, rolling out or crossing runway 14R at other txwys when we crossed runway 14R. Supplemental information from acn 364126: on taxiway M we came to runway 14R. We discussed in the cockpit if we were cleared to cross. Ground frequency was extremely congested. After reviewing our stated clearance, to follow aircraft to runway 9R, knowing aircraft on runway 14R were being given land hold short of runway 9R on runway 14R, and not hearing any other aircraft in front of us being issued clearance to cross, we checked runway 14R, there was no aircraft on the runway or on short final so we hurried across the runway. It was odd not to be told by ord ground to monitor tower frequency at #1, tower informed us that we were supposed to hold short of runway 14R. Due to the frequency congestion I simply stated that we were cleared to follow the S80 on our left to runway 9R and did not discuss the issue any further.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: S80 FLC EXPERIENCED CLEARANCE CONFUSION AND MAY HAVE COMMITED A RWY INCURSION DURING THEIR TAXI OUT TO RWY 9R. THEY HAD BEEN CLRED TO RWY 9R AND TOLD TO FOLLOW THE PRECEDING ACFT TO RWY 9R.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A TAXI CLRNC TO TAXI TO RWY 9R, FOLLOW THE MD80 ON OUR L. AT FIRST THERE WAS CONFUSION AS TO WHICH MD80, THIS WAS RESOLVED WITH GND CTL. OUR TAXI FOLLOWING THE OTHER ACFT INCLUDED TURNING L ON A TXWY THEN R ON TXWY M5 AND TURNING R AGAIN ON TXWY M TO RWY 9R. THIS RTE REQUIRED XING RWY 14R ON TXWY M. RWY 14R WAS BEING USED FOR LNDGS WITH HOLD SHORT OF RWY 9R CLRNCS. WE WERE NEVER GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TO CHANGE TO TWR FREQ NOR DID WE HEAR OTHER ACFT RECEIVE THAT INSTRUCTION. NO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 14R CLRNC WAS EVER GIVEN TO OUR ACFT. UPON FINALLY CONTACTING TWR ON OUR OWN WHEN #3 FOR TKOF THE TWR CTLR IMPLIED THAT WE HAD CROSSED RWY 14R DURING TAXI WITHOUT CLRNC TO DO SO. WE BELIEVE OUR CLRNC TO TAXI BEHIND THE OTHER ACFT TO RWY 9R WAS OUR CLRNC TO CROSS RWY 14R. NO ACFT WERE ON SHORT FINAL, ROLLING OUT OR XING RWY 14R AT OTHER TXWYS WHEN WE CROSSED RWY 14R. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 364126: ON TXWY M WE CAME TO RWY 14R. WE DISCUSSED IN THE COCKPIT IF WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS. GND FREQ WAS EXTREMELY CONGESTED. AFTER REVIEWING OUR STATED CLRNC, TO FOLLOW ACFT TO RWY 9R, KNOWING ACFT ON RWY 14R WERE BEING GIVEN LAND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 9R ON RWY 14R, AND NOT HEARING ANY OTHER ACFT IN FRONT OF US BEING ISSUED CLRNC TO CROSS, WE CHKED RWY 14R, THERE WAS NO ACFT ON THE RWY OR ON SHORT FINAL SO WE HURRIED ACROSS THE RWY. IT WAS ODD NOT TO BE TOLD BY ORD GND TO MONITOR TWR FREQ AT #1, TWR INFORMED US THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 14R. DUE TO THE FREQ CONGESTION I SIMPLY STATED THAT WE WERE CLRED TO FOLLOW THE S80 ON OUR L TO RWY 9R AND DID NOT DISCUSS THE ISSUE ANY FURTHER.

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.