Flight crew of large transport crossed runway without authorization.

Attributes
ACN	118562
Time
Date	198908
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tus
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	118562
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared to taxi to runway 11L in tucson. It was a nice clear day. Runway 11L has a long stopway and I thought the threshold was on the far side of runway 21. As I taxied toward runway 21 I saw the arresting cable for runway 30 on the far (west) side of runway 21. I verified with the first officer that we were cleared all the way to runway 11, and then believing that the arresting cable was threshold lights, I carefully checked for traffic on runway 21 and then crossed the runway without clearance to do so. The threshold was on the east side of runway 21 and did not require crossing runway 21 to get to it. This was a very disturbing incident for me. I did carefully check for traffic and there was no danger to others or to us, nevertheless, I made a significant mistake. I'm a check airman with a major air carrier. This flight was with an upgrading first officer who was having problems. I was working very, very had to provide the passenger and myself with a safe ride. What is really disturbing is that this was not a case of carelessness, and no one else caught my error. I truly thought I knew where the end of the runway was. I was as alert as a human being can be.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT CROSSED RWY WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 11L IN TUCSON. IT WAS A NICE CLEAR DAY. RWY 11L HAS A LONG STOPWAY AND I THOUGHT THE THRESHOLD WAS ON THE FAR SIDE OF RWY 21. AS I TAXIED TOWARD RWY 21 I SAW THE ARRESTING CABLE FOR RWY 30 ON THE FAR (WEST) SIDE OF RWY 21. I VERIFIED WITH THE F/O THAT WE WERE CLRED ALL THE WAY TO RWY 11, AND THEN BELIEVING THAT THE ARRESTING CABLE WAS THRESHOLD LIGHTS, I CAREFULLY CHECKED FOR TFC ON RWY 21 AND THEN CROSSED THE RWY WITHOUT CLRNC TO DO SO. THE THRESHOLD WAS ON THE EAST SIDE OF RWY 21 AND DID NOT REQUIRE XING RWY 21 TO GET TO IT. THIS WAS A VERY DISTURBING INCIDENT FOR ME. I DID CAREFULLY CHECK FOR TFC AND THERE WAS NO DANGER TO OTHERS OR TO US, NEVERTHELESS, I MADE A SIGNIFICANT MISTAKE. I'M A CHECK AIRMAN WITH A MAJOR AIR CARRIER. THIS FLT WAS WITH AN UPGRADING F/O WHO WAS HAVING PROBLEMS. I WAS WORKING VERY, VERY HAD TO PROVIDE THE PAX AND MYSELF WITH A SAFE RIDE. WHAT IS REALLY DISTURBING IS THAT THIS WAS NOT A CASE OF CARELESSNESS, AND NO ONE ELSE CAUGHT MY ERROR. I TRULY THOUGHT I KNEW WHERE THE END OF THE RWY WAS. I WAS AS ALERT AS A HUMAN BEING CAN BE.

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.