Narrative:

I called ground control and said, '...ready to taxi IFR to leesburg.' the ground controller replied, 'taxi to runway 36 clearance on request.' as I began to taxi, he called back with my clearance. I stopped since I was still on the ramp, copied the clearance and read it back. I then proceeded to taxi to runway 36. From my position on the ramp I had to cross runway 35 to get to the end for takeoff. When I reached the hold short line at 36 I paused and looked for traffic. I saw an aircraft on final but it was far enough out that I could taxi across west/O causing a hazard. I realized my mistake after the controller called to inform me of my error when I had reached the other side. I understand that far 91.129 states that clearance to taxi to an active runway does not allow me to taxi across the active runway. However, if I had been cleared to taxi to any other point on the airport, I would be able to taxi across the active runway. On the few previous occasions that I had flown out of gmu, it had been our practice to taxi to the self-service pumps did not require me to hold short of the active runway on those previous occasions, unless expressly told to hold short, is what led to my mistake. I believe a similar situation could be avoided in the future if a clearance to taxi to the runway for takeoff actually meant being able to proceed to that point, unless specifically told to hold short anywhere before reaching the destination. Since far 91.129 indicates that when taxiing to any point other than the active runway, one does not need to hold short of the active runway unless specifically told to do so, confusion could be avoided if that were also the case for taxiing to the active runway for takeoff.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT CROSSED ASSIGNED RWY WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I CALLED GND CTL AND SAID, '...READY TO TAXI IFR TO LEESBURG.' THE GND CTLR REPLIED, 'TAXI TO RWY 36 CLRNC ON REQUEST.' AS I BEGAN TO TAXI, HE CALLED BACK WITH MY CLRNC. I STOPPED SINCE I WAS STILL ON THE RAMP, COPIED THE CLRNC AND READ IT BACK. I THEN PROCEEDED TO TAXI TO RWY 36. FROM MY POS ON THE RAMP I HAD TO CROSS RWY 35 TO GET TO THE END FOR TKOF. WHEN I REACHED THE HOLD SHORT LINE AT 36 I PAUSED AND LOOKED FOR TFC. I SAW AN ACFT ON FINAL BUT IT WAS FAR ENOUGH OUT THAT I COULD TAXI ACROSS W/O CAUSING A HAZARD. I REALIZED MY MISTAKE AFTER THE CTLR CALLED TO INFORM ME OF MY ERROR WHEN I HAD REACHED THE OTHER SIDE. I UNDERSTAND THAT FAR 91.129 STATES THAT CLRNC TO TAXI TO AN ACTIVE RWY DOES NOT ALLOW ME TO TAXI ACROSS THE ACTIVE RWY. HOWEVER, IF I HAD BEEN CLRED TO TAXI TO ANY OTHER POINT ON THE ARPT, I WOULD BE ABLE TO TAXI ACROSS THE ACTIVE RWY. ON THE FEW PREVIOUS OCCASIONS THAT I HAD FLOWN OUT OF GMU, IT HAD BEEN OUR PRACTICE TO TAXI TO THE SELF-SVC PUMPS DID NOT REQUIRE ME TO HOLD SHORT OF THE ACTIVE RWY ON THOSE PREVIOUS OCCASIONS, UNLESS EXPRESSLY TOLD TO HOLD SHORT, IS WHAT LED TO MY MISTAKE. I BELIEVE A SIMILAR SITUATION COULD BE AVOIDED IN THE FUTURE IF A CLRNC TO TAXI TO THE RWY FOR TKOF ACTUALLY MEANT BEING ABLE TO PROCEED TO THAT POINT, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY TOLD TO HOLD SHORT ANYWHERE BEFORE REACHING THE DEST. SINCE FAR 91.129 INDICATES THAT WHEN TAXIING TO ANY POINT OTHER THAN THE ACTIVE RWY, ONE DOES NOT NEED TO HOLD SHORT OF THE ACTIVE RWY UNLESS SPECIFICALLY TOLD TO DO SO, CONFUSION COULD BE AVOIDED IF THAT WERE ALSO THE CASE FOR TAXIING TO THE ACTIVE RWY FOR TKOF.

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.