B737-500
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 178
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe
General None Reported / Taken
Procedure; ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings
We received the standard taxi clearance of [Runway] 12R via Zulu and Echo; hold short of [Runway] 12L; monitor Tower. The Captain stopped the aircraft about ten feet short of the hold line for [Runway] 12L. I observed a light twin on final for [Runway] 12L. The Tower told the twin; 'Go around; aircraft on the runway.' The Captain looked left and said; 'There is no aircraft on the runway.' The Tower then explained; 'The 737 is short of the runway; but our equipment detects him on it so we have to send you around. Company; flight number; you are short of the runway. Our equipment detects you on it.' I responded that we were well behind the line. We were cleared to taxi and take off with no further incident. The whole thing was weird. Obviously; HOU has some faulty equipment.
Cleared to taxi to [Runway] 12R via Zulu and Echo and hold short of [Runway] 12L. We complied with the taxi clearance and we stopped about 10 FT from the [Runway] 12L hold short line. Hobby Tower had to send an aircraft landing [Runway] 12L around because the airport's equipment showed that we had encroached the runway. The Tower Controller acknowledged that he could see they we were indeed holding short of the runway but he was obligated to send the aircraft around because his equipment showed otherwise. He told us that there was no problem with our positioning and then cleared us to cross [Runway] 12L and [Runway] 17. For some reason; the sensors in the taxiway must be positioned improperly and Tower seemed to be aware of this potential false warning. Hobby Airport needs to reposition the sensors in the taxiway so they correctly show an accurate position of the aircraft in order to prevent unnecessary go-arounds.
Air Carrier holding well clear of Runway 12L for departure observed an aircraft on final issued go around instructions by ATC because of an occupied runway alarm.