Flight crew of medium large transport inadvertently taxied onto active runway.

Attributes
ACN	129631
Time
Date	198911
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hou
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : clt
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 6700 flight time type : 4900
ASRS Report	129631
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

After pushing back from our hou gate, we were given taxi clearance to runway 12R, hold short of runway 12L on taxiway D. After holding short of 12L, we were given clearance to cross 12L and hold short of runway 17. We were then given clearance to cross runway 17 and into position on runway 12R. As we visually cleared runway 17 before we crossed it, we saw a light airplane taking off on runway 17 and passing in front of us. We stopped our aircraft and asked the tower about this conflict. The tower asked if we were on taxiway D and we says yes. He said that he had given us clearance up the 'red line' to cross runway 17 on taxiway east. Taxiing is very confusing at hobby when runways 12R and 17 are being used, especially for crews new to the airport and at night. I would suggest that tower operators be aware of this possible confusion and make extra efforts to see that pilots are making the correct routing. Perhaps a special box could be shown on the airport page telling about the 'red line' taxi route. The present 'red line' annotation is very small and inconspicuous.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG INADVERTENTLY TAXIED ONTO ACTIVE RWY.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHING BACK FROM OUR HOU GATE, WE WERE GIVEN TAXI CLRNC TO RWY 12R, HOLD SHORT OF RWY 12L ON TXWY D. AFTER HOLDING SHORT OF 12L, WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS 12L AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 17. WE WERE THEN GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS RWY 17 AND INTO POSITION ON RWY 12R. AS WE VISUALLY CLRED RWY 17 BEFORE WE CROSSED IT, WE SAW A LIGHT AIRPLANE TAKING OFF ON RWY 17 AND PASSING IN FRONT OF US. WE STOPPED OUR ACFT AND ASKED THE TWR ABOUT THIS CONFLICT. THE TWR ASKED IF WE WERE ON TXWY D AND WE SAYS YES. HE SAID THAT HE HAD GIVEN US CLRNC UP THE 'RED LINE' TO CROSS RWY 17 ON TXWY E. TAXIING IS VERY CONFUSING AT HOBBY WHEN RWYS 12R AND 17 ARE BEING USED, ESPECIALLY FOR CREWS NEW TO THE ARPT AND AT NIGHT. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT TWR OPERATORS BE AWARE OF THIS POSSIBLE CONFUSION AND MAKE EXTRA EFFORTS TO SEE THAT PLTS ARE MAKING THE CORRECT ROUTING. PERHAPS A SPECIAL BOX COULD BE SHOWN ON THE ARPT PAGE TELLING ABOUT THE 'RED LINE' TAXI ROUTE. THE PRESENT 'RED LINE' ANNOTATION IS VERY SMALL AND INCONSPICUOUS.

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.