Narrative:

Working local control, landing and departing runways 31L and 31R. I instructed an SF340 (Z) to taxi into position and hold runway 31R. There was a buzz on the frequency, then the SF340 flight crew clearly reading back his call sign and 'position and hold, runway 31R.' subsequently I saw a C650 (X) in position on runway 31L with traffic, a B757 (Y) about 1 mi out. I instructed the C650 (X) to exit the runway to the left and the B757 (Y) landed. Contributing factors: prior to the incident 4 aircraft, including the C650, called for permission to cross an intersecting inactive runway after they had already been cleared to cross by ground control. This added to the congestion and complexity on the frequency. It also illustrates the lack of attention being paid to control instructions. Other instructions on my frequency indicated that the B757 (Y) traffic would land runway 31L prior to the C650's (X) departure. I feel more attention should be paid to all xmissions on a frequency, not just the ones directed to a particular aircraft, thereby increasing situational awareness. This incident also illustrates the over-emphasis on quick departures by some air carrier's and their habit of hearing what they want to hear, not what was actually said. Supplemental information from acn 564988: the aircraft was ready to depart on runway 31L at jfk international when the crew thought that they were cleared into position and hold on that runway. The controller was working both runways 31L and 31R and had cleared another aircraft into position and hold on runway 31R. We accepted the clearance and taxied into position on runway 31L. About 1 min later the tower came on and instructed us to exit the runway to the left immediately due to an aircraft on final. Once clear I reported to the tower that I was clear of the runway. This incursion happened due to a communication error between the crew and the controller. The controller told another aircraft that was #2 for landing that there would be a departure prior to their arrival. This may have given the crew the thought that they were going out soon and misinterpreted the position and hold call to be theirs. This could be avoided if when using multiple runways that they use multiple frequencys, even though traffic may be light. I would also state that, if there were some radio interference during a readback that the controller restate the intended communication to all aircraft and especially when the controller is working more than 1 runway.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY INCURSION CREATES A GND CONFLICT BTWN A C650 ON THE RWY AND AN APCHING B757 AT JFK, NY.

Narrative: WORKING LCL CTL, LNDG AND DEPARTING RWYS 31L AND 31R. I INSTRUCTED AN SF340 (Z) TO TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD RWY 31R. THERE WAS A BUZZ ON THE FREQ, THEN THE SF340 FLC CLRLY READING BACK HIS CALL SIGN AND 'POS AND HOLD, RWY 31R.' SUBSEQUENTLY I SAW A C650 (X) IN POS ON RWY 31L WITH TFC, A B757 (Y) ABOUT 1 MI OUT. I INSTRUCTED THE C650 (X) TO EXIT THE RWY TO THE L AND THE B757 (Y) LANDED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT 4 ACFT, INCLUDING THE C650, CALLED FOR PERMISSION TO CROSS AN INTERSECTING INACTIVE RWY AFTER THEY HAD ALREADY BEEN CLRED TO CROSS BY GND CTL. THIS ADDED TO THE CONGESTION AND COMPLEXITY ON THE FREQ. IT ALSO ILLUSTRATES THE LACK OF ATTN BEING PAID TO CTL INSTRUCTIONS. OTHER INSTRUCTIONS ON MY FREQ INDICATED THAT THE B757 (Y) TFC WOULD LAND RWY 31L PRIOR TO THE C650'S (X) DEP. I FEEL MORE ATTN SHOULD BE PAID TO ALL XMISSIONS ON A FREQ, NOT JUST THE ONES DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR ACFT, THEREBY INCREASING SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. THIS INCIDENT ALSO ILLUSTRATES THE OVER-EMPHASIS ON QUICK DEPS BY SOME ACR'S AND THEIR HABIT OF HEARING WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR, NOT WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 564988: THE ACFT WAS READY TO DEPART ON RWY 31L AT JFK INTL WHEN THE CREW THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD ON THAT RWY. THE CTLR WAS WORKING BOTH RWYS 31L AND 31R AND HAD CLRED ANOTHER ACFT INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 31R. WE ACCEPTED THE CLRNC AND TAXIED INTO POS ON RWY 31L. ABOUT 1 MIN LATER THE TWR CAME ON AND INSTRUCTED US TO EXIT THE RWY TO THE L IMMEDIATELY DUE TO AN ACFT ON FINAL. ONCE CLR I RPTED TO THE TWR THAT I WAS CLR OF THE RWY. THIS INCURSION HAPPENED DUE TO A COM ERROR BTWN THE CREW AND THE CTLR. THE CTLR TOLD ANOTHER ACFT THAT WAS #2 FOR LNDG THAT THERE WOULD BE A DEP PRIOR TO THEIR ARR. THIS MAY HAVE GIVEN THE CREW THE THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE GOING OUT SOON AND MISINTERPRETED THE POS AND HOLD CALL TO BE THEIRS. THIS COULD BE AVOIDED IF WHEN USING MULTIPLE RWYS THAT THEY USE MULTIPLE FREQS, EVEN THOUGH TFC MAY BE LIGHT. I WOULD ALSO STATE THAT, IF THERE WERE SOME RADIO INTERFERENCE DURING A READBACK THAT THE CTLR RESTATE THE INTENDED COM TO ALL ACFT AND ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CTLR IS WORKING MORE THAN 1 RWY.

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.