Narrative:

After getting my clearance at gso, I called ground (121.9) and was told to taxi to runway 32 via taxiway golf. This being my first experience (having landed the previous day) at gso, I got out my map (in nos approach plate book) and looked to see where taxiway golf was, and how I would get to the taxiway that leads to the end of runway 32. I noticed it would cross runway 32. I interpreted the ground ATC controller to mean that I would cross runway 32 to get to taxiway alpha turn left and go to the runup area for 32--but before I entered runway 32 (at golf, heading south), I called ground and asked if I was to cross runway 32. Although I know full well that ground can't clear me for takeoff clearance, I heard (on the ground controller's frequency, 121.9) something about I was 'cleared to takeoff on runway 32,' which I thought was strange since I was at midfield on runway 32 and was mentally expecting to go to the takeoff end of runway 32. I don't know exactly what I said back to ground, but I thought it was 'cleared for takeoff.' so, I taxied into position on runway 32. At midfield (at taxiway golf intersection). As soon as I was in position and ready to give full power, I thought 'what am I doing out here west/O doing my checklist and runup?' I immediately turned right, back to taxiway golf, and at the same time called ground to say I hadn't done my runup. Ground replied with an instruction to go back to taxiway golf, and he added, 'who gave you permission to get on the runway?' all I could say was, 'I...I...,' since I was confused and realized that I certainly hadn't gone to tower. When I got back on taxiway golf (and clear of runway 32), the ground controller said something and 'hold short of 32,' and asked me to contact tower at 119.1. I did, and noticed a small jet,either landing or taking off on 32. All of a sudden, I had such a terrible feeling that I could have pulled onto 32 while that jet was also using 32. I feel that this problem (entering a runway west/O tower clearance) was caused by my confusion in being positioned for a midfield takeoff (I had never heard of this being done) at an unfamiliar airport. I did not clearly understand what the ground controller was asking me to do. I tried to ask for clarification, but I didn't make myself clear to the ground controller (I thought the ground controller was telling me to take off!). Of course, this could have caused a collision on the runway. I would rather not ground controllers put me into new situations (not using all available runway,as is the case in this midfield takeoff), especially at an unfamiliar airport--but I should have requested the full runway. I think he was trying to be helpful. Perhaps red (stop) and greed (go) lights at taxiway/runway intxns would have helped in my situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH RWY ENTRY.

Narrative: AFTER GETTING MY CLRNC AT GSO, I CALLED GND (121.9) AND WAS TOLD TO TAXI TO RWY 32 VIA TXWY GOLF. THIS BEING MY FIRST EXPERIENCE (HAVING LANDED THE PREVIOUS DAY) AT GSO, I GOT OUT MY MAP (IN NOS APCH PLATE BOOK) AND LOOKED TO SEE WHERE TXWY GOLF WAS, AND HOW I WOULD GET TO THE TXWY THAT LEADS TO THE END OF RWY 32. I NOTICED IT WOULD CROSS RWY 32. I INTERPRETED THE GND ATC CTLR TO MEAN THAT I WOULD CROSS RWY 32 TO GET TO TXWY ALPHA TURN LEFT AND GO TO THE RUNUP AREA FOR 32--BUT BEFORE I ENTERED RWY 32 (AT GOLF, HDG S), I CALLED GND AND ASKED IF I WAS TO CROSS RWY 32. ALTHOUGH I KNOW FULL WELL THAT GND CAN'T CLR ME FOR TKOF CLRNC, I HEARD (ON THE GND CTLR'S FREQ, 121.9) SOMETHING ABOUT I WAS 'CLRED TO TKOF ON RWY 32,' WHICH I THOUGHT WAS STRANGE SINCE I WAS AT MIDFIELD ON RWY 32 AND WAS MENTALLY EXPECTING TO GO TO THE TKOF END OF RWY 32. I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I SAID BACK TO GND, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS 'CLRED FOR TKOF.' SO, I TAXIED INTO POS ON RWY 32. AT MIDFIELD (AT TXWY GOLF INTXN). AS SOON AS I WAS IN POS AND READY TO GIVE FULL PWR, I THOUGHT 'WHAT AM I DOING OUT HERE W/O DOING MY CHKLIST AND RUNUP?' I IMMEDIATELY TURNED RIGHT, BACK TO TXWY GOLF, AND AT THE SAME TIME CALLED GND TO SAY I HADN'T DONE MY RUNUP. GND REPLIED WITH AN INSTRUCTION TO GO BACK TO TXWY GOLF, AND HE ADDED, 'WHO GAVE YOU PERMISSION TO GET ON THE RWY?' ALL I COULD SAY WAS, 'I...I...,' SINCE I WAS CONFUSED AND REALIZED THAT I CERTAINLY HADN'T GONE TO TWR. WHEN I GOT BACK ON TXWY GOLF (AND CLR OF RWY 32), THE GND CTLR SAID SOMETHING AND 'HOLD SHORT OF 32,' AND ASKED ME TO CONTACT TWR AT 119.1. I DID, AND NOTICED A SMALL JET,EITHER LNDG OR TAKING OFF ON 32. ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HAD SUCH A TERRIBLE FEELING THAT I COULD HAVE PULLED ONTO 32 WHILE THAT JET WAS ALSO USING 32. I FEEL THAT THIS PROB (ENTERING A RWY W/O TWR CLRNC) WAS CAUSED BY MY CONFUSION IN BEING POSITIONED FOR A MIDFIELD TKOF (I HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEING DONE) AT AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT. I DID NOT CLEARLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE GND CTLR WAS ASKING ME TO DO. I TRIED TO ASK FOR CLARIFICATION, BUT I DIDN'T MAKE MYSELF CLEAR TO THE GND CTLR (I THOUGHT THE GND CTLR WAS TELLING ME TO TAKE OFF!). OF COURSE, THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A COLLISION ON THE RWY. I WOULD RATHER NOT GND CTLRS PUT ME INTO NEW SITUATIONS (NOT USING ALL AVAILABLE RWY,AS IS THE CASE IN THIS MIDFIELD TKOF), ESPECIALLY AT AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT--BUT I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED THE FULL RWY. I THINK HE WAS TRYING TO BE HELPFUL. PERHAPS RED (STOP) AND GREED (GO) LIGHTS AT TXWY/RWY INTXNS WOULD HAVE HELPED IN MY SITUATION.

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.