Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Incursion Runway
General None Reported / Taken
Airport; Human Factors; Procedure
After landing on Runway 12R; Tower instructed us to exit the runway at Taxiway C3; hold short of Taxiway C (parallel taxiway) and contact ground on 121.7. As we approached Taxiway C3; I saw an Aircraft Y taxiing northwest on Taxiway C with moderate speed. The Aircraft Y was approaching Taxiway C3 and it appeared that we had been instructed to hold short of Taxiway C so the Aircraft Y could pass in front of us right to left. As the CA (Captain) made the ninety-degree left turn to exit the runway onto Taxiway C3; I switched to ground control frequency 121.7 as instructed. The CA then stopped with the nose of our aircraft near the runway holding position marking on Taxiway C3. This left the aft end of our aircraft on the runway. The Aircraft Y then stopped short of Taxiway C3. As I was about to ask for clarifying instructions after switching frequencies; Ground Control instructed the Aircraft Y to continue taxiing and then asked if we were on his frequency. I responded that we were and then Ground Control instructed us to turn right on Taxiway C (behind the Aircraft Y that had by this point passed through the intersection) and then left on Taxiway B4 to our gate. As we taxied southeast on Taxiway C Ground Control advised us that we had created a dangerous situation by not fully exiting the runway. He informed us that a light general aviation aircraft had taken off while part of our aircraft was still on the runway. At the time it happened; I agreed with the CA's decision to stop the aircraft since we were unaware of the Aircraft Y's taxi instructions (we had just switched to Ground); and the appearance that the Aircraft Y may taxi through the intersection due to its rate of speed and remaining distance to C3. I also wondered why tower control had cleared an aircraft to take off while we still occupied the runway. On the taxi out for our return leg; we observed that there was a taxiway hold short line further ahead on C3 that would have allowed us to pull further forward; but our tail would still likely have been over the runway hold short line.Limited distance between the runway and Taxiway C. Lack of communication at a critical juncture: we were unaware of the Aircraft Y's taxi instructions as we had just switched to ground; and Tower didn't advise us of them when issuing us our initial taxi instructions (ie '... Aircraft Y will hold short.') The Tower Controller cleared an aircraft to take off while part of our aircraft was still within the boundary of the runway. The Ground Controller did not instruct the Aircraft Y to continue taxiing with a sense of urgency. Better communication from ATC. Better awareness of the location of taxiway hold short lines (of possible runway turn-offs) as a part of our approach brief.
After landing on Runway 12R; tower instructed us to exit the runway at Taxiway C3; hold short of Taxiway C (parallel taxiway) and contact Ground on 121.7. As we approached Taxiway C3; I observed an Aircraft Y taxiing northwest on Taxiway C with moderate speed. The Aircraft Y was approaching Taxiway C3 and it appeared that we had been instructed to hold short of Taxiway C so the Aircraft Y could pass in front of us right to left. As I made the ninety-degree left turn to exit the runway onto Taxiway C3 at less than 12 knots of ground speed; the FO switched to ground control frequency 121.7 as instructed. I stopped with the nose of our aircraft near the runway holding position marking on Taxiway C3 because of the short distance to Taxiway C in front of us. This left the aft end of our aircraft on the runway. The Aircraft Y then stopped short of Taxiway C3. Ground Control instructed the Aircraft Y to continue taxiing. After the Aircraft Y passed Taxiway C3; Ground Control asked if we were on his frequency. When the FO responded in the affirmative; ground control instructed us to turn right on Taxiway C then left on Taxiway B4 to our gate. As we taxied southeast on Taxiway C Ground Control advised us that we had created a dangerous situation by not fully exiting the runway. He told us that a light general aviation aircraft had taken off while part of our aircraft was still on the runway. At the time; I felt that I could not have fully exited the runway considering the limited distance available to me on Taxiway C3. I also wondered why Tower Control had cleared an aircraft to take off while we still occupied the runway. On the next flight; we taxied out on Taxiway C. As we passed Taxiway C3 I noticed a taxiway holding position marking on Taxiway C3 that I had not observed on the inbound flight. Although the taxiway holding position marking appeared too close to Taxiway C; I could have taxied farther onto Taxiway C3 after exiting the runway on the inbound flight. If I had taxied to what I considered a safe distance from Taxiway C; our tail probably would not have been within the lateral boundaries of the runway; but it would have been on the runway side of the runway holding position marking on Taxiway C3. Limited distance between the runway and Taxiway C prevented us from fully vacating the runway while complying with the instruction to hold short of Taxiway C. The Tower Controller cleared an aircraft to take off while part of our aircraft was still within the boundary of the runway. The Ground Controller did not instruct the Aircraft Y to continue taxiing with a sense of urgency. When instructed to hold short of a taxiway after vacating a runway; stop the aircraft as close as safely possible to the restricting taxiway. Even if your aircraft is not completely clear of the runway; risk will be diminished by reducing the amount of your aircraft remaining within the runway boundary.
Air carrier flight crew reported lack of communication from ATC during taxi at MMUN airport resulted in a ground conflict.