Crj pilot landing phl questioned controller regarding tug position relative to runway.

Attributes
ACN	629753
Time
Date	200409
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : phl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground other : under tow
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : developmental
Experience	controller radar : 5 flight time total : 70
ASRS Report	629753
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Aircraft being towed contacted ground control for taxi instructions. Aircraft in tow was instructed to hold short of runway 35, at which time they read back the hold short instructions correctly. The hold instructions were restated a second time and the tow read back the instructions again. Crj jet landing runway 35 reported that the tow tug appeared to be on the runway. The crj landed without incident. The tow tug were instructed to cross the runway to parking. The tug driver never acknowledged crossing the runway hold lines.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ PLT LNDG PHL QUESTIONED CTLR REGARDING TUG POS RELATIVE TO RWY.

Narrative: ACFT BEING TOWED CONTACTED GND CTL FOR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. ACFT IN TOW WAS INSTRUCTED TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 35, AT WHICH TIME THEY READ BACK THE HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTIONS CORRECTLY. THE HOLD INSTRUCTIONS WERE RESTATED A SECOND TIME AND THE TOW READ BACK THE INSTRUCTIONS AGAIN. CRJ JET LNDG RWY 35 RPTED THAT THE TOW TUG APPEARED TO BE ON THE RWY. THE CRJ LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE TOW TUG WERE INSTRUCTED TO CROSS THE RWY TO PARKING. THE TUG DRIVER NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED XING THE RWY HOLD LINES.

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.