Narrative:

Due to a taxi clearance that in hindsight was vague, my aircraft ended up in conflict with another aircraft exiting runway 9R at phl. The primary departure runway was runway 9L. Due to gross weight restrs, we requested from ground control runway 9R. Taxiing commenced from the concourse to taxiway K3. From there I taxied west on taxiway K and crossed runway 9L at taxiway T. The clearance issued by ground control at that point was simply 'proceed via taxiway P, transition over to taxiway south to the hold position runway 9R.' ground acknowledged our readback of this clearance. It was dark at the time and the visibility good. As we taxied west on taxiway P, I saw taxiway U, but assumed it was simply a stub on which to transition to taxiway south. After turning onto taxiway south, the first officer and I both saw a B737 preparing to exit runway 9R at taxiway S7. At that point I stopped my aircraft and the B737 stopped on taxiway S7 well clear of the runway. There was no aircraft on short final. When advised of the conflict, ground control directed us to taxi past the B737. We continued on to the end of the runway without further incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10 CAPT STOPPED TAXIING WHEN NOTICING ANOTHER ACFT COMING OFF OF RWY AHEAD WOULD BE A CONFLICT FOR BOTH ACFT. GND CTLR STOPPED THE OTHER ACFT ON THE RWY TIE-IN TXWY AND CONTINUED RPTR ON PASS.

Narrative: DUE TO A TAXI CLRNC THAT IN HINDSIGHT WAS VAGUE, MY ACFT ENDED UP IN CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT EXITING RWY 9R AT PHL. THE PRIMARY DEP RWY WAS RWY 9L. DUE TO GROSS WT RESTRS, WE REQUESTED FROM GND CTL RWY 9R. TAXIING COMMENCED FROM THE CONCOURSE TO TXWY K3. FROM THERE I TAXIED W ON TXWY K AND CROSSED RWY 9L AT TXWY T. THE CLRNC ISSUED BY GND CTL AT THAT POINT WAS SIMPLY 'PROCEED VIA TXWY P, TRANSITION OVER TO TXWY S TO THE HOLD POS RWY 9R.' GND ACKNOWLEDGED OUR READBACK OF THIS CLRNC. IT WAS DARK AT THE TIME AND THE VISIBILITY GOOD. AS WE TAXIED W ON TXWY P, I SAW TXWY U, BUT ASSUMED IT WAS SIMPLY A STUB ON WHICH TO TRANSITION TO TXWY S. AFTER TURNING ONTO TXWY S, THE FO AND I BOTH SAW A B737 PREPARING TO EXIT RWY 9R AT TXWY S7. AT THAT POINT I STOPPED MY ACFT AND THE B737 STOPPED ON TXWY S7 WELL CLR OF THE RWY. THERE WAS NO ACFT ON SHORT FINAL. WHEN ADVISED OF THE CONFLICT, GND CTL DIRECTED US TO TAXI PAST THE B737. WE CONTINUED ON TO THE END OF THE RWY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.