Pilot taxied across active runway without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	104812
Time
Date	198902
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hhr
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	104812
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My home airport has a single runway (7/25) with an FAA control tower that was in operation. From the fuel pit at the middle of the north side I called ground and said, '...taxi 25 runup.' the ground controller responded, '...taxi runway 25.' I said, 'roger, taxi 25 via (taxiway) delta.' I taxied eastbound on the north side, and after pausing briefly to confirm there was no traffic, I crossed at delta. Ground then announced that I was not cleared to cross the active runway, and that I should familiarize myself with federal aviation regulation 91.87H. I have taxied over this route hundreds of times. Usually, the tower (ground) adds the phrase, '...and hold short...' occasionally, they don't, but I always stopped and waited for instructions before proceeding anyway. One confusing point at my home airport is that the runup area is on the south side, so the active is also an intervening runway when coming from the north side. Clearly, the problem was caused by my misrecalling the federal aviation regulation. But, the inconsistent use by ground control of the phrase, '...hold short...' adds an element of confusion in such a situation where a habit pattern is involved. Needless to say, I now recognize the error, and won't repeat it again!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT TAXIED ACROSS ACTIVE RWY WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: MY HOME ARPT HAS A SINGLE RWY (7/25) WITH AN FAA CTL TWR THAT WAS IN OPERATION. FROM THE FUEL PIT AT THE MIDDLE OF THE N SIDE I CALLED GND AND SAID, '...TAXI 25 RUNUP.' THE GND CTLR RESPONDED, '...TAXI RWY 25.' I SAID, 'ROGER, TAXI 25 VIA (TXWY) DELTA.' I TAXIED EBND ON THE N SIDE, AND AFTER PAUSING BRIEFLY TO CONFIRM THERE WAS NO TFC, I CROSSED AT DELTA. GND THEN ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS NOT CLRED TO CROSS THE ACTIVE RWY, AND THAT I SHOULD FAMILIARIZE MYSELF WITH FEDERAL AVIATION REG 91.87H. I HAVE TAXIED OVER THIS ROUTE HUNDREDS OF TIMES. USUALLY, THE TWR (GND) ADDS THE PHRASE, '...AND HOLD SHORT...' OCCASIONALLY, THEY DON'T, BUT I ALWAYS STOPPED AND WAITED FOR INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE PROCEEDING ANYWAY. ONE CONFUSING POINT AT MY HOME ARPT IS THAT THE RUNUP AREA IS ON THE S SIDE, SO THE ACTIVE IS ALSO AN INTERVENING RWY WHEN COMING FROM THE N SIDE. CLEARLY, THE PROB WAS CAUSED BY MY MISRECALLING THE FEDERAL AVIATION REG. BUT, THE INCONSISTENT USE BY GND CTL OF THE PHRASE, '...HOLD SHORT...' ADDS AN ELEMENT OF CONFUSION IN SUCH A SITUATION WHERE A HABIT PATTERN IS INVOLVED. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I NOW RECOGNIZE THE ERROR, AND WON'T REPEAT IT AGAIN!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.