Narrative:

Geg departure taxiway a (on the terminal side of runway 21) was closed from A3-A6. Ground advised us to back-taxi on runway 21 and contact tower. I figured they would have us pull off the end to finish checklists. We contacted tower right away and she instructed us to taxi into position and hold. At this point we had just entered the runway and were maybe 3000 ft from the end. I asked the captain if he wanted to do the checklist on the runway. I remembered that checklists shouldn't be done while crossing a runway; but wasn't sure about 'back-taxiing.' the captain said yes; it was fine. About 1/2 way through the checklist; the tower controller interrupted and said 'I've got a dash 8 on 3(?) mi base; fly runway heading; cleared for takeoff runway 21.' and we were still back-taxiing nebound! Bottom line: the checklist was finished and the takeoff was completed without an adverse event. I could see from the TCAS though; that the dash was near flare as we rotated (TCAS showed relative altitude difference of 100 ft (yellow 01) behind us). I thought about saying something to the controller as we departed; but didn't. Suggestions: there was a perfectly good taxiway (taxiway G) on the other side of the runway we could have used; or even better; used taxiway F to taxiway a to get beyond the closures after a short back-taxi. While we knew prior to taxi that A3-A6 was closed; asking ground what we could expect for taxi prior to pushback would also have been helpful. Next time I will advocate to the captain that we not do the checklist while of any runway; crossing or back-taxiing. I would recommend the fom be updated to include not completing checklists while back-taxiing (I couldn't find a reference to this). Lastly; tower controllers need to be educated on airliners and their checklist/taxi procedures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FO IS CONCERNED PERFORMING THE PRE-TKOF CHKLIST WHILE BACK-TAXIING ON THE RWY TO THE DEP END SUBJECTED THE FLT TO A CONFLICT WITH AN INBOUND ACFT.

Narrative: GEG DEP TXWY A (ON THE TERMINAL SIDE OF RWY 21) WAS CLOSED FROM A3-A6. GND ADVISED US TO BACK-TAXI ON RWY 21 AND CONTACT TWR. I FIGURED THEY WOULD HAVE US PULL OFF THE END TO FINISH CHKLISTS. WE CONTACTED TWR RIGHT AWAY AND SHE INSTRUCTED US TO TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD. AT THIS POINT WE HAD JUST ENTERED THE RWY AND WERE MAYBE 3000 FT FROM THE END. I ASKED THE CAPT IF HE WANTED TO DO THE CHKLIST ON THE RWY. I REMEMBERED THAT CHKLISTS SHOULDN'T BE DONE WHILE XING A RWY; BUT WASN'T SURE ABOUT 'BACK-TAXIING.' THE CAPT SAID YES; IT WAS FINE. ABOUT 1/2 WAY THROUGH THE CHKLIST; THE TWR CTLR INTERRUPTED AND SAID 'I'VE GOT A DASH 8 ON 3(?) MI BASE; FLY RWY HDG; CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 21.' AND WE WERE STILL BACK-TAXIING NEBOUND! BOTTOM LINE: THE CHKLIST WAS FINISHED AND THE TKOF WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT AN ADVERSE EVENT. I COULD SEE FROM THE TCAS THOUGH; THAT THE DASH WAS NEAR FLARE AS WE ROTATED (TCAS SHOWED RELATIVE ALT DIFFERENCE OF 100 FT (YELLOW 01) BEHIND US). I THOUGHT ABOUT SAYING SOMETHING TO THE CTLR AS WE DEPARTED; BUT DIDN'T. SUGGESTIONS: THERE WAS A PERFECTLY GOOD TXWY (TXWY G) ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RWY WE COULD HAVE USED; OR EVEN BETTER; USED TXWY F TO TXWY A TO GET BEYOND THE CLOSURES AFTER A SHORT BACK-TAXI. WHILE WE KNEW PRIOR TO TAXI THAT A3-A6 WAS CLOSED; ASKING GND WHAT WE COULD EXPECT FOR TAXI PRIOR TO PUSHBACK WOULD ALSO HAVE BEEN HELPFUL. NEXT TIME I WILL ADVOCATE TO THE CAPT THAT WE NOT DO THE CHKLIST WHILE OF ANY RWY; XING OR BACK-TAXIING. I WOULD RECOMMEND THE FOM BE UPDATED TO INCLUDE NOT COMPLETING CHKLISTS WHILE BACK-TAXIING (I COULDN'T FIND A REF TO THIS). LASTLY; TWR CTLRS NEED TO BE EDUCATED ON AIRLINERS AND THEIR CHKLIST/TAXI PROCS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.