C172 catches near runway incursion and improper 'position and hold' clearance from ATCT.

Attributes
ACN	452905
Time
Date	199910
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hef.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hef.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Falcon 20FJF/20C/20D/20E/20F
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : position and hold ground : taxi ground : holding
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : hef.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 146 flight time total : 562
ASRS Report	452905
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor ATC Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

We were cleared by ATCT to 'taxi into position and hold.' we were at the intersection of taxiway K and runway 16L/34R. Hef was using runway 34R at the time. A C172 had just been cleared for takeoff on runway 34R, using the full length. Had we continued to move forward, separation would have been compromised. As it was, I visually acquired the departing skyhawk in time to stop well before (150 ft) entering the runway. Upon querying the controller, she reiterated that we were cleared to taxi into position and hold for runway 34R. When we brought it to her attention that there had been an aircraft on takeoff roll, she apologized on air. The PF (my student) told her that he should have specified to her that we were departing from the intersection of taxiway K. She must have assumed that we had been waiting in line behind the C172 for takeoff! Finally, she said, 'we both screwed up.' maybe so, but the 'deal' is hers. She should have looked out the control tower window instead of relying on standard assumptions for positional and situational awareness cues!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 CATCHES NEAR RWY INCURSION AND IMPROPER 'POS AND HOLD' CLRNC FROM ATCT.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED BY ATCT TO 'TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD.' WE WERE AT THE INTXN OF TXWY K AND RWY 16L/34R. HEF WAS USING RWY 34R AT THE TIME. A C172 HAD JUST BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 34R, USING THE FULL LENGTH. HAD WE CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD, SEPARATION WOULD HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED. AS IT WAS, I VISUALLY ACQUIRED THE DEPARTING SKYHAWK IN TIME TO STOP WELL BEFORE (150 FT) ENTERING THE RWY. UPON QUERYING THE CTLR, SHE REITERATED THAT WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD FOR RWY 34R. WHEN WE BROUGHT IT TO HER ATTN THAT THERE HAD BEEN AN ACFT ON TKOF ROLL, SHE APOLOGIZED ON AIR. THE PF (MY STUDENT) TOLD HER THAT HE SHOULD HAVE SPECIFIED TO HER THAT WE WERE DEPARTING FROM THE INTXN OF TXWY K. SHE MUST HAVE ASSUMED THAT WE HAD BEEN WAITING IN LINE BEHIND THE C172 FOR TKOF! FINALLY, SHE SAID, 'WE BOTH SCREWED UP.' MAYBE SO, BUT THE 'DEAL' IS HERS. SHE SHOULD HAVE LOOKED OUT THE CTL TWR WINDOW INSTEAD OF RELYING ON STANDARD ASSUMPTIONS FOR POSITIONAL AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS CUES!

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.