Helicopter in hover taxi crosses active runway.

Attributes
ACN	191272
Time
Date	199110
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 5 agl bound upper : 5
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 915 flight time type : 915
ASRS Report	191272
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The objective of this flight was to fly to the GA ramp at msp international, pick up an individual and depart. I had on board an airport map from an airport/facility directory and I had discussed the flight with 3 other people so not to confuse which of the 2 GA ramps I would make my pick-up (both ramps have the same name). Prior to entering the TCA, I called approach informing them of my exact destination. They cleared me into the TCA and handed me off to tower, where I again stated my destination. Tower instructed me to enter a left base for runway 4 since the 29 parallels were in use. Upon my approach to the #4, I was told to air taxi to my destination. Then I was informed to hold short 29L. I acknowledged my instructions, then the controller cleared a jet to depart 29L. As the jet acknowledged, I crossed what I thought was 29R and proceeded to what I believed was the correct ramp. The controller instantly reprimanded me, asking if I knew right from left and if I knew I had just crossed an active coming within 1000 ft of a departing jet. He then told me my destination was on the southwest end of the field and make a '180 and hold short'. I apologized to the controller stating I had become confused and was genuinely sorry for my error. After landing I was informed to call the tower now! The controller again questioned my actions and I explained my confusion again expressing my sincere regrets. He stated since I came within 1000 ft of a departing jet, his supervisor wanted him to submit the report. I informed him I had no intention to deliberately compromise safety and that if he had to report, I understood. Contributing factors: it was the first time I had gone to the GA ramp. The more I checked my map, the more anxious I got. It was my second day of quitting coffee. I was tired from an early morning photograph shoot. Over concern of msp's dislike of GA, especially small helicopters, making even more anxious about making any mistakes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI IN HOVER TAXI CROSSES ACTIVE RWY.

Narrative: THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS FLT WAS TO FLY TO THE GA RAMP AT MSP INTL, PICK UP AN INDIVIDUAL AND DEPART. I HAD ON BOARD AN ARPT MAP FROM AN ARPT/FACILITY DIRECTORY AND I HAD DISCUSSED THE FLT WITH 3 OTHER PEOPLE SO NOT TO CONFUSE WHICH OF THE 2 GA RAMPS I WOULD MAKE MY PICK-UP (BOTH RAMPS HAVE THE SAME NAME). PRIOR TO ENTERING THE TCA, I CALLED APCH INFORMING THEM OF MY EXACT DEST. THEY CLRED ME INTO THE TCA AND HANDED ME OFF TO TWR, WHERE I AGAIN STATED MY DEST. TWR INSTRUCTED ME TO ENTER A L BASE FOR RWY 4 SINCE THE 29 PARALLELS WERE IN USE. UPON MY APCH TO THE #4, I WAS TOLD TO AIR TAXI TO MY DEST. THEN I WAS INFORMED TO HOLD SHORT 29L. I ACKNOWLEDGED MY INSTRUCTIONS, THEN THE CTLR CLRED A JET TO DEPART 29L. AS THE JET ACKNOWLEDGED, I CROSSED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS 29R AND PROCEEDED TO WHAT I BELIEVED WAS THE CORRECT RAMP. THE CTLR INSTANTLY REPRIMANDED ME, ASKING IF I KNEW R FROM L AND IF I KNEW I HAD JUST CROSSED AN ACTIVE COMING WITHIN 1000 FT OF A DEPARTING JET. HE THEN TOLD ME MY DEST WAS ON THE SW END OF THE FIELD AND MAKE A '180 AND HOLD SHORT'. I APOLOGIZED TO THE CTLR STATING I HAD BECOME CONFUSED AND WAS GENUINELY SORRY FOR MY ERROR. AFTER LNDG I WAS INFORMED TO CALL THE TWR NOW! THE CTLR AGAIN QUESTIONED MY ACTIONS AND I EXPLAINED MY CONFUSION AGAIN EXPRESSING MY SINCERE REGRETS. HE STATED SINCE I CAME WITHIN 1000 FT OF A DEPARTING JET, HIS SUPVR WANTED HIM TO SUBMIT THE RPT. I INFORMED HIM I HAD NO INTENTION TO DELIBERATELY COMPROMISE SAFETY AND THAT IF HE HAD TO RPT, I UNDERSTOOD. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD GONE TO THE GA RAMP. THE MORE I CHKED MY MAP, THE MORE ANXIOUS I GOT. IT WAS MY SECOND DAY OF QUITTING COFFEE. I WAS TIRED FROM AN EARLY MORNING PHOTOGRAPH SHOOT. OVER CONCERN OF MSP'S DISLIKE OF GA, ESPECIALLY SMALL HELIS, MAKING EVEN MORE ANXIOUS ABOUT MAKING ANY MISTAKES.

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.