Either unauthorized or uncoord runway crossing.

Attributes
ACN	192411
Time
Date	199110
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mew airport : mdw
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mdw
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
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	192411
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 9000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Misunderstanding with ground controller. Heard taxi clearance as -- taxi to 13CX. Taxied from gate to cross 22L en route to 13C. When about to cross 22L saw aircraft Y on final, and slowed taxi as about to cross, to first check with ground control. At this moment ground says expedite taxi and cross. This crossing of active landing runway (22L) was closer than usual (uncomfortable crossing). When clear I asked controller what happened, and what was original taxi clearance to check if there was a communication breakdown. He thought he gave me other instructions. All taxi clrncs will be read back even if it appears clear. It was a slow time of the evening! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Clarified that reporter thought they were cleared to taxi unrestricted from gate to runway 13C. He verified that was clearance as he understood it. Reporter stated type of other aircraft involved in potential conflict. He said that mdw airport is very difficult airport to taxi on or operate into and out of. Tower controller gave crossing clearance before they crossed hold line. Does not remember what clearance that controller thought he had given. Second aircraft was at about 1.5 mi final as they crossed runway 22L.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EITHER UNAUTH OR UNCOORD RWY XING.

Narrative: MISUNDERSTANDING WITH GND CTLR. HEARD TAXI CLRNC AS -- TAXI TO 13CX. TAXIED FROM GATE TO CROSS 22L ENRTE TO 13C. WHEN ABOUT TO CROSS 22L SAW ACFT Y ON FINAL, AND SLOWED TAXI AS ABOUT TO CROSS, TO FIRST CHK WITH GND CTL. AT THIS MOMENT GND SAYS EXPEDITE TAXI AND CROSS. THIS XING OF ACTIVE LNDG RWY (22L) WAS CLOSER THAN USUAL (UNCOMFORTABLE XING). WHEN CLR I ASKED CTLR WHAT HAPPENED, AND WHAT WAS ORIGINAL TAXI CLRNC TO CHK IF THERE WAS A COM BREAKDOWN. HE THOUGHT HE GAVE ME OTHER INSTRUCTIONS. ALL TAXI CLRNCS WILL BE READ BACK EVEN IF IT APPEARS CLR. IT WAS A SLOW TIME OF THE EVENING! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. CLARIFIED THAT RPTR THOUGHT THEY WERE CLRED TO TAXI UNRESTRICTED FROM GATE TO RWY 13C. HE VERIFIED THAT WAS CLRNC AS HE UNDERSTOOD IT. RPTR STATED TYPE OF OTHER ACFT INVOLVED IN POTENTIAL CONFLICT. HE SAID THAT MDW ARPT IS VERY DIFFICULT ARPT TO TAXI ON OR OPERATE INTO AND OUT OF. TWR CTLR GAVE XING CLRNC BEFORE THEY CROSSED HOLD LINE. DOES NOT REMEMBER WHAT CLRNC THAT CTLR THOUGHT HE HAD GIVEN. SECOND ACFT WAS AT ABOUT 1.5 MI FINAL AS THEY CROSSED RWY 22L.

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.