A zspd local controller instructed an aircraft to position and hold three times with another aircraf...

Attributes
ACN	811667
Time
Date	200811
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pvg.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	811667
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : relief pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	811666
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We received taxi clearance from tower to position and hold runway 35R. I was PNF working the radio and read back clearance to position and hold runway 35R. There was an A320 doing run-ups in position. We held short for about 2 mins and I asked the tower again if we were to position and hold; he again instructed us to position and hold; I read back clearance. Another min went by and the A320 commenced takeoff roll. The relief pilot thought it would be a good idea to reverify position and hold clearance. I asked tower again and he said for us to position and hold; I read back clearance to position and hold runway 35R. We took the runway only to find a B737 was taking the runway at A2. The tower asked us what were we doing on the runway. I told him he had given us 3 separate position and hold clrncs. He told us to hold position. I told him we wanted to position the aircraft with the nose pointed down the runway if the B737 was going to take off; we had not made the 90 degree turn to line up on the runway. He instructed the B737 to pull forward to let us taxi to A2 and exit. I asked for a supervisor as this was all non standard. A new voice told us to exit A2 and taxi alpha; A1 hold short runway 35R. We did. The B737 back taxied and took off. We were given line up and wait by the new tower voice. I read back that clearance and once we were given takeoff clearance we got a 'no land 3' EICAS status message. We then exited runway 35R at A2 to talk to dispatch and maintenance. The 'no land 3' was deferred and we took off normally. I think the 1ST tower guy was really trying to get us to hold short all along but with the accent barrier and non standard terms; it got confused.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A ZSPD LOCAL CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED AN AIRCRAFT TO POSITION AND HOLD THREE TIMES WITH ANOTHER AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY. TWO TIMES THE AIRCRAFT HELD SHORT. AFTER THE THIRD INSTRUCTION; IT BECAME CLEAR THE CONTROLLER MEANT HOLD POSITION (SHORT OF THE RUNWAY).

Narrative: WE RECEIVED TAXI CLRNC FROM TWR TO POS AND HOLD RWY 35R. I WAS PNF WORKING THE RADIO AND READ BACK CLRNC TO POS AND HOLD RWY 35R. THERE WAS AN A320 DOING RUN-UPS IN POS. WE HELD SHORT FOR ABOUT 2 MINS AND I ASKED THE TWR AGAIN IF WE WERE TO POS AND HOLD; HE AGAIN INSTRUCTED US TO POS AND HOLD; I READ BACK CLRNC. ANOTHER MIN WENT BY AND THE A320 COMMENCED TKOF ROLL. THE RELIEF PLT THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO REVERIFY POS AND HOLD CLRNC. I ASKED TWR AGAIN AND HE SAID FOR US TO POS AND HOLD; I READ BACK CLRNC TO POS AND HOLD RWY 35R. WE TOOK THE RWY ONLY TO FIND A B737 WAS TAKING THE RWY AT A2. THE TWR ASKED US WHAT WERE WE DOING ON THE RWY. I TOLD HIM HE HAD GIVEN US 3 SEPARATE POS AND HOLD CLRNCS. HE TOLD US TO HOLD POS. I TOLD HIM WE WANTED TO POS THE ACFT WITH THE NOSE POINTED DOWN THE RWY IF THE B737 WAS GOING TO TAKE OFF; WE HAD NOT MADE THE 90 DEG TURN TO LINE UP ON THE RWY. HE INSTRUCTED THE B737 TO PULL FORWARD TO LET US TAXI TO A2 AND EXIT. I ASKED FOR A SUPVR AS THIS WAS ALL NON STANDARD. A NEW VOICE TOLD US TO EXIT A2 AND TAXI ALPHA; A1 HOLD SHORT RWY 35R. WE DID. THE B737 BACK TAXIED AND TOOK OFF. WE WERE GIVEN LINE UP AND WAIT BY THE NEW TWR VOICE. I READ BACK THAT CLRNC AND ONCE WE WERE GIVEN TKOF CLRNC WE GOT A 'NO LAND 3' EICAS STATUS MESSAGE. WE THEN EXITED RWY 35R AT A2 TO TALK TO DISPATCH AND MAINT. THE 'NO LAND 3' WAS DEFERRED AND WE TOOK OFF NORMALLY. I THINK THE 1ST TWR GUY WAS REALLY TRYING TO GET US TO HOLD SHORT ALL ALONG BUT WITH THE ACCENT BARRIER AND NON STANDARD TERMS; IT GOT CONFUSED.

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.

A zspd local controller instructed an aircraft to position and hold three times with another aircraft on the runway. Two times the aircraft held short. After the third instruction; it became clear the controller meant hold position (short of the runway).