Air carrier flight crew reported as they started to cross a runway ATC had cleared them to cross; they saw another air carrier taking off from that runway. Flight crew applied quick braking and stopped past the hold short line.
Synopsis
Air carrier flight crew reported as they started to cross a runway ATC had cleared them to cross; they saw another air carrier taking off from that runway. Flight crew applied quick braking and stopped past the hold short line.
Narrative
We departed ZZZ1 and landed at ZZZ. Weather was VFR. Did a visual to RWY XXL and rolled out to the high speed Taxiway 1. There were quite a few planes holding short of [Runway] XXR waiting to cross. As we kept rolling off the runway Tower instructed us to cross XXR and contact Ground on the other side. I read back the clearance verbatim and we were about to enter the runway. Since [Taxiway] 1 is a high speed I couldn't see down the runway until we were about to enter. As I looked to my right; I noticed Aircraft Y rotating just prior to the intersection. I yelled out WHOA; WHOA and realizing the CA couldn't see it yet I hit the brakes hard and then he also hit them stopping just short of the runway. I told Tower that a plane was taking off and that it was close. The Tower Controller told us to cross the runway and never said that we were not cleared to cross. We also never were told to hold short. We got a phone number from Ground and the Captain called between flights. Tower Supervisor told him that the Tower controller was looking at the ground radar and that he may have confused us with another plane holding short.Cause: Because we crossed at a high-speed taxiway instead of a right angle one and many planes were lined up waiting to cross; I couldn't see down the runway for traffic until we were about to cross the threshold. Suggestions: Use a lot of vigilance even if you were cleared to cross.
Second reporter narrative
After landing on XXL at ZZZ; the controller cleared us; Aircraft X to cross Runway XXR; so we proceeded to cross. The view was blocked by 6 or 7 aircraft on Taxiway 1 between the parallel runways; out of the corner of our eyes; both the FO and I saw an Aircraft Y rotating and climbing out after taking off from Runway XXR. There was never any danger involved as the Aircraft Y was about 100 feet in the air well before the intersection. As soon as we saw the other aircraft; we both jumped on the brakes and stopped; however approximately one third of our aircraft was over the hold short line for Runway XXR. We asked the Tower for a telephone number after we were once again cleared to cross the active runway. Both the FO and I read back the crossing instructions with our call sign and verified the crossing; this event caught us by surprise.Cause: The ATC controller I believe was going to cross another aircraft but used our call sign; Aircraft X; because we were the last aircraft he spoke with. ZZZ was very busy with aircraft that morning and having many aircraft lined up on Taxiway 1; blocks the view of Runway XXR when crossing that runway.Suggestions: I do not know; because I am not a controller and do not know their procedures for crossing aircraft.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.