Unauthorized runway crossing by air carrier. Pilot deviation.

Attributes
ACN	190359
Time
Date	199109
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : holding
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 910
ASRS Report	190359
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had just landed on runway 36L at dfw. I maneuvered the aircraft off the runway at high speed 2N at a speed of approximately 40 KTS. The captain then took control of the aircraft and taxied across taxiway echo onto taxiway 23 behind air carrier Z. As we crossed taxiway echo, we received a clearance from tower. Both the captain and I misunderstood the clearance and believed it to be to follow air carrier Z (who had been cleared to cross runway 36R) and taxi north on the inner taxiway. An aircraft Y had been cleared on to hold on runway 36R and was maneuvering into position. As we were halfway across runway 36R, tower called and told us 'that's not what I told you to do.' what we had been told to do was turn left at taxiway echo and hold short of taxiway 18. Causes of the error: 1) crew anticipating instructions of a different nature. 2) crew coordination not being optimum as aircraft control had just been transferred. 3) instructions given when aircraft was already crossing taxiway echo. Corrective actions: this crew was fortunate that there was no conflict with another aircraft. As long as crews continue to be human, errors will be made. Many solutions have been proposed to prevent runway incursions (i.e., stop bars, lights, etc). This writer can't think of anything better that hasn't already been suggested. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: structured callback made as part of runway incursion study. Clarified point at which taxi clearance was transmitted and it was at same time that transfer of aircraft control was taking place. Neither flight crew apparently heard the taxi clearance correctly and when air carrier Z was cleared across 36R they followed that aircraft because that was the clearance they expected. Controllers very busy, but thinks incident could have been avoided if controller had given taxi instructions sooner. They were watching the aircraft Y maneuvering into position on 36R and there was no conflict with that aircraft. PIC called dfw tower later to review the incident with ATC supervisor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTHORIZED RWY XING BY ACR. PLTDEV.

Narrative: I HAD JUST LANDED ON RWY 36L AT DFW. I MANEUVERED THE ACFT OFF THE RWY AT HIGH SPD 2N AT A SPD OF APPROX 40 KTS. THE CAPT THEN TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AND TAXIED ACROSS TAXIWAY ECHO ONTO TAXIWAY 23 BEHIND ACR Z. AS WE CROSSED TAXIWAY ECHO, WE RECEIVED A CLRNC FROM TWR. BOTH THE CAPT AND I MISUNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC AND BELIEVED IT TO BE TO FOLLOW ACR Z (WHO HAD BEEN CLRED TO CROSS RWY 36R) AND TAXI N ON THE INNER TAXIWAY. AN ACFT Y HAD BEEN CLRED ON TO HOLD ON RWY 36R AND WAS MANEUVERING INTO POS. AS WE WERE HALFWAY ACROSS RWY 36R, TWR CALLED AND TOLD US 'THAT'S NOT WHAT I TOLD YOU TO DO.' WHAT WE HAD BEEN TOLD TO DO WAS TURN L AT TAXIWAY ECHO AND HOLD SHORT OF TAXIWAY 18. CAUSES OF THE ERROR: 1) CREW ANTICIPATING INSTRUCTIONS OF A DIFFERENT NATURE. 2) CREW COORD NOT BEING OPTIMUM AS ACFT CTL HAD JUST BEEN TRANSFERRED. 3) INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN WHEN ACFT WAS ALREADY XING TAXIWAY ECHO. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: THIS CREW WAS FORTUNATE THAT THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT. AS LONG AS CREWS CONTINUE TO BE HUMAN, ERRORS WILL BE MADE. MANY SOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN PROPOSED TO PREVENT RWY INCURSIONS (I.E., STOP BARS, LIGHTS, ETC). THIS WRITER CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING BETTER THAT HASN'T ALREADY BEEN SUGGESTED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: STRUCTURED CALLBACK MADE AS PART OF RWY INCURSION STUDY. CLARIFIED POINT AT WHICH TAXI CLRNC WAS XMITTED AND IT WAS AT SAME TIME THAT TRANSFER OF ACFT CTL WAS TAKING PLACE. NEITHER FLC APPARENTLY HEARD THE TAXI CLRNC CORRECTLY AND WHEN ACR Z WAS CLRED ACROSS 36R THEY FOLLOWED THAT ACFT BECAUSE THAT WAS THE CLRNC THEY EXPECTED. CTLRS VERY BUSY, BUT THINKS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF CTLR HAD GIVEN TAXI INSTRUCTIONS SOONER. THEY WERE WATCHING THE ACFT Y MANEUVERING INTO POS ON 36R AND THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH THAT ACFT. PIC CALLED DFW TWR LATER TO REVIEW THE INCIDENT WITH ATC SUPVR.

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.