Date: 201411
Local time of day: 0001-0600
Location: RIC.Airport, VA
Flight conditions: VMC
Aircraft: EMB ERJ 135 ER/LR
Operating under: Part 121
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Taxi
ATC / advisory: Tower RIC
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Pilot Not Flying; First Officer
Second reporter function: Captain; Pilot Not Flying
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control; Person Flight Crew
When detected: Taxi
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Contributing factors: Airport; Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: We were holding short of Runway 20 waiting to depart on Runway 16 at RIC. There was another flight in front of us who was also waiting to take off. They were cleared for takeoff. We were next in line and told to 'cross Runway 20; Runway 16 cleared for takeoff.' We cleared both the approach and departure ends and paths of Runways 20 and 16; then proceeded to cross Runway 20. Just before taking runway 16; the captain looked left to double check as I was checking to the right to ensure the runway was still clear. The captain immediately stopped the aircraft when he saw an aircraft on short final as we were almost onto runway 16. At the same time; tower told him to go around. We held our position to verify that the aircraft was going around and to make sure no collision hazard existed. We reconfirmed with the tower that we were cleared for takeoff and continued without incident. The approach corridor for Runway 16 was obviously not completely visible at the angle we were at with the departure runway and therefore we didn't see the approaching aircraft until he had gotten pretty close in on the approach. Since we did not see the approaching aircraft until they were on very short final; we did not know to decline the takeoff clearance and continue holding short of the runway. Since we had been holding short of runway 20 on alpha behind another RJ for some time; we didn't see the aircraft turning on final and didn't hear him check in because we were busy amending our assigned altitude given to us by tower while holding short of the runway.


Second narrative: Departing Runway 16 RIC we were cleared to cross Runway 20 and to takeoff on Runway 16. Upon crossing Runway 20 we saw an aircraft on short final. At that same time RIC Tower called for the aircraft to go around. We verified visually that there was no longer any threat of collision because the aircraft was in fact; going around. We continued into position and after RIC Tower had issued instructions to the go around and the preceding RJ. We verified that we were still cleared for takeoff and took off normally. While holding short of Runway 20; we were unable to see the final approach for Runway 16. This diminished our situational awareness so we didn't know that we needed to decline the takeoff clearance issued by RIC Tower. If our aircraft had been facing in a more northerly direction instead of perpendicular to Runway 20 (approximately hdg 112) we would have been able to see the final for Runway 16.


Synopsis: EMB135 flight crew departing RIC on Runway 20 experiences a conflict with an aircraft that had previously been cleared to land Runway 20. The crew detects the landing aircraft on short final and stops short of the runway and Tower sends the landing aircraft around.