Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 217
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Ground Incursion Runway
Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Airport; Human Factors; Procedure
Holding short of Runway 08 facing west abeam Gate XX; we were cleared to cross Runway 08; Taxiway Alpha; to Runway 15. There was another carrier's jet abeam the terminal to our west. This obscured our view of the arrival end of Runway 08 and was also in the normal taxi route to cross 8 to Alpha to 15. Additionally; there was jet traffic on final to Runway 08 five miles out or so. After cleared to cross 8 by Ground Control; we made an oblique turn to cross the runway. Final traffic was in sight and the runway as far as we could see was clear. After crossing about 1/3 of the way across the runway; a light Twin appeared to our left climbing out after takeoff. He crossed abeam/over at approximately 200 FT. We queried Ground and confirmed that we had been cleared to cross and received affirmation. Talking further with Ground; he said that the departing aircraft had not said anything about us crossing in front of his takeoff roll; which leads me to believe that he had already rotated and could not see us due to his deck angle. The positioning of all three aircraft (ours; the other carrier and the Twin rotating) set up a situation where the two planes actively involved could not have taken action to prevent a mishap had the takeoff roll been a little longer. Possibly give control over crossing Runway 8 to Tower instead of Ground Control because there was obviously a miscommunication error. Additionally; had we been on Tower frequency we would have heard the Twin being cleared for takeoff greatly increasing our situational awareness.
As we cleared left and right; turning our lights on; we could see Company on less than a five-mile final. When we were in the middle of the runway; my Captain saw a small Piper Twin had just lifted off Runway 8. We were both shocked. The twin cleared us by about 200 FT. We were never told of the departing Twin. I immediately confirmed with Ground Control that we were cleared to cross Runway 8. He confirmed we were cleared to cross 8. I could detect the Ground Controller realized he may have made a mistake. The Captain switched to Tower and asked if the Twin had said anything. The Tower said the twin did not say anything. Nothing more was said.Tower and Ground need to pay better attention. The other carrier 737 was restricting our view of the 8 departure area. If the 737 hadn't have been there; we might have seen the Twin taking off.
An Air Carrier jet was cleared to taxi from the BUR passenger terminal across Runway 8 to Taxiway A and reported light twin departed on Runway 8 overflying them by 200 FT. Ground lost track of the Tower's light twin clearance.