Narrative:

During taxi out to runway 16R in rome, italy, I asked the first officer to ask the tower controller if we were cleared onto the runway and for the departure code. I understood the controller to say 'position and hold, I'll give you your transponder code on release.' as I approached the end of the runway, I stopped and requested that the first officer verify with the tower that we were cleared into position on the runway. For the second time, I understood the tower controller to say 'cleared into position and hold, I'll give you your transponder code on release.' as I sat in position for takeoff, I could hear the tower talking to aircraft approaching the runway for landing. I mentioned to the crew that I didn't like being cleared on the runway to hold with aircraft also being cleared to land. Moments afterward, the tower informed me that he had not cleared me onto the runway. Shortly after we were cleared for takeoff. There was no doubt in my mind that I was cleared onto the runway, particularly after I requested the first officer to verify the position and hold clearance. Supplemental information from acn 453780: as we approached the holding point, I asked the tower to verify that we were cleared into position on runway 16R. Again, all 3 crew members understood the controller to clear us into 'position and hold.' a conversation in italian took place between the other aircraft and the tower, and immediately thereafter, the tower controller contacted us saying we had not been cleared onto the runway. He told us to maintain our position and cleared us for takeoff approximately 2 mins later.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC10-30 FLC WERE ADVISED THEY HAD NOT BEEN CLRED ONTO THE RWY AT LIRF, FO.

Narrative: DURING TAXI OUT TO RWY 16R IN ROME, ITALY, I ASKED THE FO TO ASK THE TWR CTLR IF WE WERE CLRED ONTO THE RWY AND FOR THE DEP CODE. I UNDERSTOOD THE CTLR TO SAY 'POS AND HOLD, I'LL GIVE YOU YOUR XPONDER CODE ON RELEASE.' AS I APCHED THE END OF THE RWY, I STOPPED AND REQUESTED THAT THE FO VERIFY WITH THE TWR THAT WE WERE CLRED INTO POS ON THE RWY. FOR THE SECOND TIME, I UNDERSTOOD THE TWR CTLR TO SAY 'CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD, I'LL GIVE YOU YOUR XPONDER CODE ON RELEASE.' AS I SAT IN POS FOR TKOF, I COULD HEAR THE TWR TALKING TO ACFT APCHING THE RWY FOR LNDG. I MENTIONED TO THE CREW THAT I DIDN'T LIKE BEING CLRED ON THE RWY TO HOLD WITH ACFT ALSO BEING CLRED TO LAND. MOMENTS AFTERWARD, THE TWR INFORMED ME THAT HE HAD NOT CLRED ME ONTO THE RWY. SHORTLY AFTER WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT I WAS CLRED ONTO THE RWY, PARTICULARLY AFTER I REQUESTED THE FO TO VERIFY THE POS AND HOLD CLRNC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 453780: AS WE APCHED THE HOLDING POINT, I ASKED THE TWR TO VERIFY THAT WE WERE CLRED INTO POS ON RWY 16R. AGAIN, ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS UNDERSTOOD THE CTLR TO CLR US INTO 'POS AND HOLD.' A CONVERSATION IN ITALIAN TOOK PLACE BTWN THE OTHER ACFT AND THE TWR, AND IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER, THE TWR CTLR CONTACTED US SAYING WE HAD NOT BEEN CLRED ONTO THE RWY. HE TOLD US TO MAINTAIN OUR POS AND CLRED US FOR TKOF APPROX 2 MINS LATER.

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.