Narrative:

We taxied to the holding area next to runway 30 at dulles waiting for the taxi sequence for departure. Ground control told us to follow the rj. I looked and I saw air carrier Y rj, 150 ft in front of us, taking runway 30 position. I started to taxi when I saw an air carrier Z rj on my left that was moving. I stopped immediately and avoided a collision. We came no more than 30 ft from collision. I questioned the ground controller why was I given more specific information who to follow. Ground said that he did mention to follow the rj on the pad. I know that he didn't mention anything about the rj on the pad. Again dulles ground controllers have the tendency to over-control the traffic on the ground without providing critical information, as in our case.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 CAPT EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING TAXI CONFLICT DUE TO CONFUSING INSTRUCTIONS ISSUED BY THE IAD GND CTLR.

Narrative: WE TAXIED TO THE HOLDING AREA NEXT TO RWY 30 AT DULLES WAITING FOR THE TAXI SEQUENCE FOR DEP. GND CTL TOLD US TO FOLLOW THE RJ. I LOOKED AND I SAW ACR Y RJ, 150 FT IN FRONT OF US, TAKING RWY 30 POS. I STARTED TO TAXI WHEN I SAW AN ACR Z RJ ON MY L THAT WAS MOVING. I STOPPED IMMEDIATELY AND AVOIDED A COLLISION. WE CAME NO MORE THAN 30 FT FROM COLLISION. I QUESTIONED THE GND CTLR WHY WAS I GIVEN MORE SPECIFIC INFO WHO TO FOLLOW. GND SAID THAT HE DID MENTION TO FOLLOW THE RJ ON THE PAD. I KNOW THAT HE DIDN'T MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT THE RJ ON THE PAD. AGAIN DULLES GND CTLRS HAVE THE TENDENCY TO OVER-CTL THE TFC ON THE GND WITHOUT PROVIDING CRITICAL INFO, AS IN OUR CASE.

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.