Air carrier X possible unauthorized runway crossing.

Attributes
ACN	165367
Time
Date	199012
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mdw
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 5700 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	165367
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure other

Narrative:

This event was a possible unauthorized runway crossing at mdw. Mdw was using runways 31R, 31C, 31L, and air carrier X landed using 31R. After T/D we were instructed to turn left on 22L and hold short of 31C, which we did. We were also instructed to stay with tower. After a while tower instructed us to cross 31C west/O delay and call ground and the other side. There was traffic on 1 mi final, so we expedited across 31C. My copilot tells me that after crossing 31C, he contacted ground and that we were cleared to the ramp, prior to us crossing 31C, which is a narrow runway and can easily be mistaken for a taxiway. However, I do not think that was possible in such a short time, since the distance between the 2 runways is fairly small and we were moving fairly rapidly. Neither tower or ground control said anything, but even if we did not violate any rules, this was an easy setup for such a thing to happen. Callback conversation with FAA tower supervisor at mdw tower revealed the following: tower supervisor said there was some initial confusion about runway 31L xings when the runway was first opened. Procedure is to advertise on the ATIS when runway 31L is active. Proper signage is in place, which shows runway 31L as a runway. Supervisor said air carrier X was probably told to cross runways 31C and 31L, taxi to ramp and contact ground control.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X POSSIBLE UNAUTH RWY CROSSING.

Narrative: THIS EVENT WAS A POSSIBLE UNAUTH RWY XING AT MDW. MDW WAS USING RWYS 31R, 31C, 31L, AND ACR X LANDED USING 31R. AFTER T/D WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TURN LEFT ON 22L AND HOLD SHORT OF 31C, WHICH WE DID. WE WERE ALSO INSTRUCTED TO STAY WITH TWR. AFTER A WHILE TWR INSTRUCTED US TO CROSS 31C W/O DELAY AND CALL GND AND THE OTHER SIDE. THERE WAS TFC ON 1 MI FINAL, SO WE EXPEDITED ACROSS 31C. MY COPLT TELLS ME THAT AFTER XING 31C, HE CONTACTED GND AND THAT WE WERE CLRED TO THE RAMP, PRIOR TO US XING 31C, WHICH IS A NARROW RWY AND CAN EASILY BE MISTAKEN FOR A TXWY. HOWEVER, I DO NOT THINK THAT WAS POSSIBLE IN SUCH A SHORT TIME, SINCE THE DISTANCE BTWN THE 2 RWYS IS FAIRLY SMALL AND WE WERE MOVING FAIRLY RAPIDLY. NEITHER TWR OR GND CTL SAID ANYTHING, BUT EVEN IF WE DID NOT VIOLATE ANY RULES, THIS WAS AN EASY SETUP FOR SUCH A THING TO HAPPEN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH FAA TWR SUPVR AT MDW TWR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: TWR SUPVR SAID THERE WAS SOME INITIAL CONFUSION ABOUT RWY 31L XINGS WHEN THE RWY WAS FIRST OPENED. PROC IS TO ADVERTISE ON THE ATIS WHEN RWY 31L IS ACTIVE. PROPER SIGNAGE IS IN PLACE, WHICH SHOWS RWY 31L AS A RWY. SUPVR SAID ACR X WAS PROBABLY TOLD TO CROSS RWYS 31C AND 31L, TAXI TO RAMP AND CONTACT GND CTL.

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.