2009-11 · NASA ASRS report 860983
A320 Flight Crew reports runway incursion on Runway 19L at SNA; causing a light aircraft go around. The crew believed they were told to hold short of Runway 19R.
On taxi out in SNA; after the control check; Ground Control told us to taxi on Alpha and hold short of Lima. Before we reached Lima tower asked us if we were ready for departure. The F/O responded with; 'we need 30 seconds'. Tower then asked if we could take our wait between the runways. We responded with affirmative. I then heard instruction from tower to turn onto Lima and hold short of 19R. As the nose of our aircraft crossed 19L hold line I saw a small propeller airplane go around off 19L. Tower then told us we were told to hold short of 19L. I stopped our aircraft with the hold short line approximately abeam the Captain's window. We were then told to taxi ahead and hold short of 19R. We waited about 7 minutes short of 19R before takeoff clearance was given. Normal takeoff. Both myself and the First Officer thought we were told to hold short of 19R instead of 19L. If the Tower did indeed tell us to hold short of 19L then I suspect some expectation bias was involved due to the fact that we were asked if we could take our wait between the runways and Tower seemed in a hurry to get us airborne.
As we taxied on Lima; we both saw a light aircraft on final. It appeared due to the haze and lighting conditions he was using 19R. As we started to cross the hold line for 19L; it became obvious he was landing 19L (not 19R) and the Captain immediately stopped. The light aircraft went around. Our nose was over the 19L hold line; slightly short of abeam the front side window. The light aircraft would have been able to land in front of us if he had not gone around. Tower then transmitted 'you were told to hold short 19L'. I responded 'we heard hold short 19R'. Tower instructed us to continue; hold short 19R. We complied and waited 7-8 minutes between the runways for takeoff. Uneventful from this point. I believe there were several factors in this incident: 1) We were not rushed initially - we intentionally slowed down to get duties done due to the nature of ops at SNA. The Controller's instructions set up a 'hurry-up' bias when asked if we were ready. 2) The follow on transmission 'can you hold between runways' set up a mental expectation that's what we would be expected to do. 3) Separate tower frequencies for 19L and 19R lowers situational awareness.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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