Pilot of C208 cargo aircraft at ont blocking vehicles and a company in back, taxied onto taxiway sou...

Attributes
ACN	604033
Time
Date	200312
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ont.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Caravan 1 208A
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : taxi ground : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : ont.tower
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Caravan 1 208A
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
ASRS Report	604033
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	incursion : taxiway non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory none taken : anomaly accepted other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I started taxiing from the air carrier X parking ramp area to up to the active taxiway south, which I stopped short of. As I sat there waiting to get taxi clearance from ground control, I noticed 2 vehicles with their lights flashing. The 2 vehicles were directly off my left wingtip, about 10 ft away, and behind me was company aircraft. It was clear to me that my aircraft was blocking the road. It seemed to me that the vehicles were in a hurry, maybe to deal with some sort of emergency. The 2 vehicles could not get behind me nor company aircraft nor the air carrier ramp -- because it was congested with ramp personnel and tug vehicles. Ground control was very busy, I believe that only one person was working ground and clearance. I told ground my intention to taxi, however the controller was too busy and I never got a reply. I had no choice so I looked around -- no one was ahead of me. I proceeded with caution and taxied. Onto the taxiway south in order to give way to the emergency vehicles, the 2 vehicles then passed behind me quickly. About 2 mins went by before there was a pause on ground frequency, which then I asked ground if I could start my taxi. Ground control replied 'you're on an active taxiway...go ahead and taxi to runway 26L and call the tower when you get to your destination,' which I did.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C208 CARGO ACFT AT ONT BLOCKING VEHICLES AND A COMPANY IN BACK, TAXIED ONTO TXWY S WITHOUT CLRNC WHEN UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH GND DUE TO A CONGESTED FREQ.

Narrative: I STARTED TAXIING FROM THE ACR X PARKING RAMP AREA TO UP TO THE ACTIVE TXWY S, WHICH I STOPPED SHORT OF. AS I SAT THERE WAITING TO GET TAXI CLRNC FROM GND CTL, I NOTICED 2 VEHICLES WITH THEIR LIGHTS FLASHING. THE 2 VEHICLES WERE DIRECTLY OFF MY L WINGTIP, ABOUT 10 FT AWAY, AND BEHIND ME WAS COMPANY ACFT. IT WAS CLR TO ME THAT MY ACFT WAS BLOCKING THE ROAD. IT SEEMED TO ME THAT THE VEHICLES WERE IN A HURRY, MAYBE TO DEAL WITH SOME SORT OF EMER. THE 2 VEHICLES COULD NOT GET BEHIND ME NOR COMPANY ACFT NOR THE ACR RAMP -- BECAUSE IT WAS CONGESTED WITH RAMP PERSONNEL AND TUG VEHICLES. GND CTL WAS VERY BUSY, I BELIEVE THAT ONLY ONE PERSON WAS WORKING GND AND CLRNC. I TOLD GND MY INTENTION TO TAXI, HOWEVER THE CTLR WAS TOO BUSY AND I NEVER GOT A REPLY. I HAD NO CHOICE SO I LOOKED AROUND -- NO ONE WAS AHEAD OF ME. I PROCEEDED WITH CAUTION AND TAXIED. ONTO THE TXWY S IN ORDER TO GIVE WAY TO THE EMER VEHICLES, THE 2 VEHICLES THEN PASSED BEHIND ME QUICKLY. ABOUT 2 MINS WENT BY BEFORE THERE WAS A PAUSE ON GND FREQ, WHICH THEN I ASKED GND IF I COULD START MY TAXI. GND CTL REPLIED 'YOU'RE ON AN ACTIVE TXWY...GO AHEAD AND TAXI TO RWY 26L AND CALL THE TWR WHEN YOU GET TO YOUR DEST,' WHICH I DID.

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.

Pilot of C208 cargo aircraft at ont blocking vehicles and a company in back, taxied onto taxiway south without clearance when unable to communicate with ground due to a congested frequency.