Pilot crosses active runway, believes he has been cleared.

Attributes
ACN	190473
Time
Date	199109
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cgx
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 49 flight time total : 1250 flight time type : 1065
ASRS Report	190473
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had been parked in the east lot at cgx. When I called for taxi clearance, I stated my location as 'on the east ramp' and was given the clearance 'taxi to runway 36.' no 'hold short' had been given. I had received such instructions in the past at this airport if they wanted me to do so (see diagram). There was an aircraft cleared into 'position and hold' on runway 36, leading me to believe that he was holding for me to cross. I was a bit unsure, and I restated 'XXX taxiing from the east ramp.' when there was no acknowledgement of my transmission, I stated, prior to crossing the runway, 'XXX taxiing across 36.' this also went unanswered, so I crossed the runway and entered the parallel taxiway and went to the threshold end of 36. It wasn't until I called for takeoff clearance that the tower notified me that they had expected me to hold short of 36 at the east ramp. There was no traffic conflict, as the aircraft on 36 was in position and holding. I informed the tower that I thought the clearance to taxi to 36 cleared me to do just that, to taxi to the threshold of the runway, and hold there. They informed me that they didn't know I was on the east ramp, and that the clearance didn't authorize me to cross the active runway anyway. I have subsequently reviewed the regulations and found that they were absolutely correct! I guess my past experience of receiving specific 'hold short' instructions at this airport from this location, had led to an expectation of my clearance to cross the runway, barring instructions to the contrary. It didn't feel quite right, however. I should have been more specific in my queries to ATC. My subtle 'hints' and statements never prompted them to clarify my instructions. They might be faulted for not realizing that I was on the east side, for I had stated so twice, but I agree that there is no legal requirement for them to specify to 'hold short' of the active until specific clearance to cross is given. Parenthetically, I believe that they usually do give specific 'hold short' instructions as an operational standard at cgx. I feel that the additional review I have done of far/aim has been helpful, and clarifies in my mind some of the operational rules that we rarely see in real-life applications (I have flown into cgx at least 70 times and never had this problem).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT CROSSES ACTIVE RWY, BELIEVES HE HAS BEEN CLRED.

Narrative: I HAD BEEN PARKED IN THE E LOT AT CGX. WHEN I CALLED FOR TAXI CLRNC, I STATED MY LOCATION AS 'ON THE E RAMP' AND WAS GIVEN THE CLRNC 'TAXI TO RWY 36.' NO 'HOLD SHORT' HAD BEEN GIVEN. I HAD RECEIVED SUCH INSTRUCTIONS IN THE PAST AT THIS ARPT IF THEY WANTED ME TO DO SO (SEE DIAGRAM). THERE WAS AN ACFT CLRED INTO 'POS AND HOLD' ON RWY 36, LEADING ME TO BELIEVE THAT HE WAS HOLDING FOR ME TO CROSS. I WAS A BIT UNSURE, AND I RESTATED 'XXX TAXIING FROM THE E RAMP.' WHEN THERE WAS NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF MY XMISSION, I STATED, PRIOR TO XING THE RWY, 'XXX TAXIING ACROSS 36.' THIS ALSO WENT UNANSWERED, SO I CROSSED THE RWY AND ENTERED THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY AND WENT TO THE THRESHOLD END OF 36. IT WASN'T UNTIL I CALLED FOR TKOF CLRNC THAT THE TWR NOTIFIED ME THAT THEY HAD EXPECTED ME TO HOLD SHORT OF 36 AT THE E RAMP. THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT, AS THE ACFT ON 36 WAS IN POS AND HOLDING. I INFORMED THE TWR THAT I THOUGHT THE CLRNC TO TAXI TO 36 CLRED ME TO DO JUST THAT, TO TAXI TO THE THRESHOLD OF THE RWY, AND HOLD THERE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW I WAS ON THE E RAMP, AND THAT THE CLRNC DIDN'T AUTHORIZE ME TO CROSS THE ACTIVE RWY ANYWAY. I HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY REVIEWED THE REGS AND FOUND THAT THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT! I GUESS MY PAST EXPERIENCE OF RECEIVING SPECIFIC 'HOLD SHORT' INSTRUCTIONS AT THIS ARPT FROM THIS LOCATION, HAD LED TO AN EXPECTATION OF MY CLRNC TO CROSS THE RWY, BARRING INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CONTRARY. IT DIDN'T FEEL QUITE RIGHT, HOWEVER. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE SPECIFIC IN MY QUERIES TO ATC. MY SUBTLE 'HINTS' AND STATEMENTS NEVER PROMPTED THEM TO CLARIFY MY INSTRUCTIONS. THEY MIGHT BE FAULTED FOR NOT REALIZING THAT I WAS ON THE E SIDE, FOR I HAD STATED SO TWICE, BUT I AGREE THAT THERE IS NO LEGAL REQUIREMENT FOR THEM TO SPECIFY TO 'HOLD SHORT' OF THE ACTIVE UNTIL SPECIFIC CLRNC TO CROSS IS GIVEN. PARENTHETICALLY, I BELIEVE THAT THEY USUALLY DO GIVE SPECIFIC 'HOLD SHORT' INSTRUCTIONS AS AN OPERATIONAL STANDARD AT CGX. I FEEL THAT THE ADDITIONAL REVIEW I HAVE DONE OF FAR/AIM HAS BEEN HELPFUL, AND CLARIFIES IN MY MIND SOME OF THE OPERATIONAL RULES THAT WE RARELY SEE IN REAL-LIFE APPLICATIONS (I HAVE FLOWN INTO CGX AT LEAST 70 TIMES AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM).

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.