DC9 captain deliberately taxied into position, with a clearance meant for another company flight.

Attributes
ACN	571034
Time
Date	200301
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp.airport
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi ground : position and hold
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	571034
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Taxiing to the runway for takeoff with msp ground, the previous aircraft told ground control that they did not have 'the numbers.' msp ground told them to pull to the side and to tell the tower when they were ready for takeoff. Ground was very busy and forgot to tell tower that now we were #1 for takeoff. Tower cleared the airplane waiting for 'the numbers/'lead data' for position and hold (another DC9). To my surprise the captain on my aircraft decided to taxi into 'position and hold,' even if the clearance was not for us, but for the DC9 behind us. Captain said that we were the first one on line, therefore the tower meant us. Despite my complaints he taxied onto the active runway. I clarified with tower that the DC9 in 'position and hold' was air carrier X and not air carrier Y (do not recall their, air carrier Y, flight number). The tower was puzzled for a few seconds, and then with the correct call sign, air carrier X, cleared us for takeoff. The tower never said anything, although the voice confirmed confusion. Takeoff and rest of flight was uneventful. The captain meant well, and tried to help by keeping the aircraft flow out of msp rolling, but I do not agree with his judgement.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CAPT DELIBERATELY TAXIED INTO POS, WITH A CLRNC MEANT FOR ANOTHER COMPANY FLT.

Narrative: TAXIING TO THE RWY FOR TKOF WITH MSP GND, THE PREVIOUS ACFT TOLD GND CTL THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE 'THE NUMBERS.' MSP GND TOLD THEM TO PULL TO THE SIDE AND TO TELL THE TWR WHEN THEY WERE READY FOR TKOF. GND WAS VERY BUSY AND FORGOT TO TELL TWR THAT NOW WE WERE #1 FOR TKOF. TWR CLRED THE AIRPLANE WAITING FOR 'THE NUMBERS/'LEAD DATA' FOR POS AND HOLD (ANOTHER DC9). TO MY SURPRISE THE CAPT ON MY ACFT DECIDED TO TAXI INTO 'POS AND HOLD,' EVEN IF THE CLRNC WAS NOT FOR US, BUT FOR THE DC9 BEHIND US. CAPT SAID THAT WE WERE THE FIRST ONE ON LINE, THEREFORE THE TWR MEANT US. DESPITE MY COMPLAINTS HE TAXIED ONTO THE ACTIVE RWY. I CLARIFIED WITH TWR THAT THE DC9 IN 'POS AND HOLD' WAS ACR X AND NOT ACR Y (DO NOT RECALL THEIR, ACR Y, FLT NUMBER). THE TWR WAS PUZZLED FOR A FEW SECONDS, AND THEN WITH THE CORRECT CALL SIGN, ACR X, CLRED US FOR TKOF. THE TWR NEVER SAID ANYTHING, ALTHOUGH THE VOICE CONFIRMED CONFUSION. TKOF AND REST OF FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE CAPT MEANT WELL, AND TRIED TO HELP BY KEEPING THE ACFT FLOW OUT OF MSP ROLLING, BUT I DO NOT AGREE WITH HIS JUDGEMENT.

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.