Pilot of atx cargo flight taxiing at bna believes he is cleared to cross runway 31, when in fact, he...

Attributes
ACN	138168
Time
Date	199003
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bna
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	138168
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Poor ground visibility created difficulty in taxiing for many aircraft that night. As I approached runway 31 I understood the controller to say 'turn right next intersection and cross 31.' the term 'hold short' was not used. A couple of mins later I heard an airplane ask what had crossed his runway. I had trouble identifying my next turn as the strobes that are normally on at 20C were off. My first taxi clearance from the end of 2L was to 'taxi on bravo but hold short of 2R.' this should have been 2C. Pilot fatigue may have played a part. It was near the end of a long week and had I been sharper I may have noticed an inappropriate crossing clearance. I was 100% sure that I had been cleared to cross the runway with the words 'cross 31' or 'do now cross 31', at the time. Better pilot training in taxi operations is, I believe, needed. Too many people learn to fly at smaller airports where the acquisition of taxiing orientation is not stressed. Also, only the term 'hold short' should be used to stop an aircraft at a runway intersection. The fog and poor visibility plus a fogged windshield were an important factor. I will in the future be even more careful about questioning instructions and asking for taxi help if not positive.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF ATX CARGO FLT TAXIING AT BNA BELIEVES HE IS CLEARED TO CROSS RWY 31, WHEN IN FACT, HE WAS NOT.

Narrative: POOR GND VISIBILITY CREATED DIFFICULTY IN TAXIING FOR MANY ACFT THAT NIGHT. AS I APCHED RWY 31 I UNDERSTOOD THE CTLR TO SAY 'TURN RIGHT NEXT INTXN AND CROSS 31.' THE TERM 'HOLD SHORT' WAS NOT USED. A COUPLE OF MINS LATER I HEARD AN AIRPLANE ASK WHAT HAD CROSSED HIS RWY. I HAD TROUBLE IDENTIFYING MY NEXT TURN AS THE STROBES THAT ARE NORMALLY ON AT 20C WERE OFF. MY FIRST TAXI CLRNC FROM THE END OF 2L WAS TO 'TAXI ON BRAVO BUT HOLD SHORT OF 2R.' THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN 2C. PLT FATIGUE MAY HAVE PLAYED A PART. IT WAS NEAR THE END OF A LONG WEEK AND HAD I BEEN SHARPER I MAY HAVE NOTICED AN INAPPROPRIATE XING CLRNC. I WAS 100% SURE THAT I HAD BEEN CLRED TO CROSS THE RWY WITH THE WORDS 'CROSS 31' OR 'DO NOW CROSS 31', AT THE TIME. BETTER PLT TRAINING IN TAXI OPERATIONS IS, I BELIEVE, NEEDED. TOO MANY PEOPLE LEARN TO FLY AT SMALLER ARPTS WHERE THE ACQUISITION OF TAXIING ORIENTATION IS NOT STRESSED. ALSO, ONLY THE TERM 'HOLD SHORT' SHOULD BE USED TO STOP AN ACFT AT A RWY INTXN. THE FOG AND POOR VISIBILITY PLUS A FOGGED WINDSHIELD WERE AN IMPORTANT FACTOR. I WILL IN THE FUTURE BE EVEN MORE CAREFUL ABOUT QUESTIONING INSTRUCTIONS AND ASKING FOR TAXI HELP IF NOT POSITIVE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.

Pilot of atx cargo flight taxiing at bna believes he is cleared to cross runway 31, when in fact, he was not.