Narrative:

Problem arose, in part, due to confusion in the cockpit which led to communication misunderstandings. This was further exacerbated by pilot lack of familiarization with the operating environment. Situation resulted in tower believing our aircraft took active runway without clearance. As the situation occurred in the midst of a test flight, with many test engineers in the cockpit adding to the considerable activity already taking place (conversation, direction and distrs), a clearance to 'runway 12 and hold, 'apparently by ground control was construed as 'position and hold' by the pilot on the radio, and that information was conveyed to the left seat pilot who took the runway. The entire situation is very difficult for this reporter to understand as a very basic part of my personal technique is a firm confirmation of clearance onto or across a runway. There seemed at the time no cause to remember the circumstances as tower made no reference to the incursion at the time it occurred. The crew was informed approximately 6 hours after the occurrence. Other factors: widebody transport audio control panel design allows remote switching of active radio. Non sterile cockpit due to test flight. Tow out to near hold short position. Need to contact company on third radio while change from ground to tower was occurring. Possible non standard direction from ground or tower controller. Supplemental information from acn 201024. Taxiing to runway, I asked first officer to get clearance to takeoff (we were starting engines from towed position approximately 50 yds from runway). First officer called for clearance on ground (133.0) and was asked if 'we' could use intersection takeoff. I said yes and was told to taxi to runway 12 and hold. I asked first officer if we were cleared for taxi into position and he advised yes. I violated long rule of not asking for read back of clearance when there was confusion as to clearance. I understood that we were on tower frequency when actually we were on ground control.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY INCURSION, UNAUTH UNCOORD RWY ENTRY.

Narrative: PROBLEM AROSE, IN PART, DUE TO CONFUSION IN THE COCKPIT WHICH LED TO COM MISUNDERSTANDINGS. THIS WAS FURTHER EXACERBATED BY PLT LACK OF FAMILIARIZATION WITH THE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT. SITUATION RESULTED IN TWR BELIEVING OUR ACFT TOOK ACTIVE RWY WITHOUT CLRNC. AS THE SITUATION OCCURRED IN THE MIDST OF A TEST FLT, WITH MANY TEST ENGINEERS IN THE COCKPIT ADDING TO THE CONSIDERABLE ACTIVITY ALREADY TAKING PLACE (CONVERSATION, DIRECTION AND DISTRS), A CLRNC TO 'RWY 12 AND HOLD, 'APPARENTLY BY GND CTL WAS CONSTRUED AS 'POS AND HOLD' BY THE PLT ON THE RADIO, AND THAT INFO WAS CONVEYED TO THE L SEAT PLT WHO TOOK THE RWY. THE ENTIRE SITUATION IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR THIS RPTR TO UNDERSTAND AS A VERY BASIC PART OF MY PERSONAL TECHNIQUE IS A FIRM CONFIRMATION OF CLRNC ONTO OR ACROSS A RWY. THERE SEEMED AT THE TIME NO CAUSE TO REMEMBER THE CIRCUMSTANCES AS TWR MADE NO REF TO THE INCURSION AT THE TIME IT OCCURRED. THE CREW WAS INFORMED APPROX 6 HRS AFTER THE OCCURRENCE. OTHER FACTORS: WDB AUDIO CTL PANEL DESIGN ALLOWS REMOTE SWITCHING OF ACTIVE RADIO. NON STERILE COCKPIT DUE TO TEST FLT. TOW OUT TO NEAR HOLD SHORT POS. NEED TO CONTACT COMPANY ON THIRD RADIO WHILE CHANGE FROM GND TO TWR WAS OCCURRING. POSSIBLE NON STANDARD DIRECTION FROM GND OR TWR CTLR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 201024. TAXIING TO RWY, I ASKED FO TO GET CLRNC TO TKOF (WE WERE STARTING ENGS FROM TOWED POS APPROX 50 YDS FROM RWY). FO CALLED FOR CLRNC ON GND (133.0) AND WAS ASKED IF 'WE' COULD USE INTXN TKOF. I SAID YES AND WAS TOLD TO TAXI TO RWY 12 AND HOLD. I ASKED FO IF WE WERE CLRED FOR TAXI INTO POS AND HE ADVISED YES. I VIOLATED LONG RULE OF NOT ASKING FOR READ BACK OF CLRNC WHEN THERE WAS CONFUSION AS TO CLRNC. I UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WERE ON TWR FREQ WHEN ACTUALLY WE WERE ON GND CTL.

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.