Narrative:

After starting engines ground control instructed us to taxi to runway 30, hold short of runway 25L. We taxied as instructed and held short of runway 25L. After a short period of time ground instructed us to cross runway 25L which we did, following a taxiing route across runway 25L which in the past has been the ground control specified taxi routing. This routing actually takes one across the intersection of 3 runways simultaneously, and there is an alternate route to runway 30--so I think safety would be enhanced if ground control would issue specific instructions on which routing they desire. Nothing was said on the radio about the routing we chose, and certainly while holding short of runway 25L ground could have issued other instructions--so I am certain we complied with their instructions. But, in the future, I would hope for more specific instructions when alternate taxi routes are available. If ground control is not specific enough in the future, I will definitely ask for additional information. Supplemental information from acn 112153: the captain and I had been employed by 2 different airlines which had recently merged; he was intimately acquainted with lgb, while I had only a general knowledge of it. In today's post-merger climate, don't accept someone's information as the gospel, but be prepared to double-check what he/she's doing! Lgb had been modified since the captain had last flown there! A careful examination of the airport chart on my part would have prevented us from making a potentially disastrous mistake.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG TAXIING AT LGB INADVERTENTLY CROSSED RWY 30 WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: AFTER STARTING ENGS GND CTL INSTRUCTED US TO TAXI TO RWY 30, HOLD SHORT OF RWY 25L. WE TAXIED AS INSTRUCTED AND HELD SHORT OF RWY 25L. AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME GND INSTRUCTED US TO CROSS RWY 25L WHICH WE DID, FOLLOWING A TAXIING ROUTE ACROSS RWY 25L WHICH IN THE PAST HAS BEEN THE GND CTL SPECIFIED TAXI ROUTING. THIS ROUTING ACTUALLY TAKES ONE ACROSS THE INTXN OF 3 RWYS SIMULTANEOUSLY, AND THERE IS AN ALTERNATE ROUTE TO RWY 30--SO I THINK SAFETY WOULD BE ENHANCED IF GND CTL WOULD ISSUE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS ON WHICH ROUTING THEY DESIRE. NOTHING WAS SAID ON THE RADIO ABOUT THE ROUTING WE CHOSE, AND CERTAINLY WHILE HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 25L GND COULD HAVE ISSUED OTHER INSTRUCTIONS--SO I AM CERTAIN WE COMPLIED WITH THEIR INSTRUCTIONS. BUT, IN THE FUTURE, I WOULD HOPE FOR MORE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS WHEN ALTERNATE TAXI ROUTES ARE AVAILABLE. IF GND CTL IS NOT SPECIFIC ENOUGH IN THE FUTURE, I WILL DEFINITELY ASK FOR ADDITIONAL INFO. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 112153: THE CAPT AND I HAD BEEN EMPLOYED BY 2 DIFFERENT AIRLINES WHICH HAD RECENTLY MERGED; HE WAS INTIMATELY ACQUAINTED WITH LGB, WHILE I HAD ONLY A GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF IT. IN TODAY'S POST-MERGER CLIMATE, DON'T ACCEPT SOMEONE'S INFO AS THE GOSPEL, BUT BE PREPARED TO DOUBLE-CHK WHAT HE/SHE'S DOING! LGB HAD BEEN MODIFIED SINCE THE CAPT HAD LAST FLOWN THERE! A CAREFUL EXAMINATION OF THE ARPT CHART ON MY PART WOULD HAVE PREVENTED US FROM MAKING A POTENTIALLY DISASTROUS MISTAKE.

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.