Egll departing B777 crossed hold line for runway without ATC clearance.

Attributes
ACN	573315
Time
Date	200302
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : egll.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pdx.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	573315
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were holding in block of runway 27L. Lndgs were on runway 27R. Tower advised us to plan to line up and wait behind the second A-321 holding south of runway 27L. We then taxied to hold block north of runway 27L as directed. We observed an airbus, B777 and a second airbus takeoff. I said ok we're next, and started to taxi to line up and wait. Crossing the hold short line, the tower said we were not in sequence. We apologized and offered to clear the runway and re-enter the line. Tower said that would not be necessary, expect takeoff clearance shortly. Takeoff and departure were normal. No mention was ever made by tower about our number (3, 6, 8) in the takeoff sequence. Follow the second airbus 321 was all we were given. We apparently mistook an airbus 319 or 320 for a 321 and, therefore, miscounted the departing aircraft. I believe airbus model number is a poor way to sequence departures in the failing light of dusk. Except for their length, narrow body airbuses are identical. A simple hold short until you are number 2 or 3, then an assignment for sequence would be a much safer operation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EGLL DEPARTING B777 CROSSED HOLD LINE FOR RWY WITHOUT ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE HOLDING IN BLOCK OF RWY 27L. LNDGS WERE ON RWY 27R. TWR ADVISED US TO PLAN TO LINE UP AND WAIT BEHIND THE SECOND A-321 HOLDING S OF RWY 27L. WE THEN TAXIED TO HOLD BLOCK N OF RWY 27L AS DIRECTED. WE OBSERVED AN AIRBUS, B777 AND A SECOND AIRBUS TKOF. I SAID OK WE'RE NEXT, AND STARTED TO TAXI TO LINE UP AND WAIT. XING THE HOLD SHORT LINE, THE TWR SAID WE WERE NOT IN SEQUENCE. WE APOLOGIZED AND OFFERED TO CLR THE RWY AND RE-ENTER THE LINE. TWR SAID THAT WOULD NOT BE NECESSARY, EXPECT TKOF CLRNC SHORTLY. TKOF AND DEP WERE NORMAL. NO MENTION WAS EVER MADE BY TWR ABOUT OUR NUMBER (3, 6, 8) IN THE TKOF SEQUENCE. FOLLOW THE SECOND AIRBUS 321 WAS ALL WE WERE GIVEN. WE APPARENTLY MISTOOK AN AIRBUS 319 OR 320 FOR A 321 AND, THEREFORE, MISCOUNTED THE DEPARTING ACFT. I BELIEVE AIRBUS MODEL NUMBER IS A POOR WAY TO SEQUENCE DEPS IN THE FAILING LIGHT OF DUSK. EXCEPT FOR THEIR LENGTH, NARROW BODY AIRBUSES ARE IDENTICAL. A SIMPLE HOLD SHORT UNTIL YOU ARE NUMBER 2 OR 3, THEN AN ASSIGNMENT FOR SEQUENCE WOULD BE A MUCH SAFER OP.

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.