Narrative:

This was my first time in pit since the opening of the new midfield terminal. It was also the first time for my first officer. The ground controller instructed us to taxi to 28L via V5, cross 10C. My first officer indicated that he had heard the same instructions. He also said that he read back 'cross 10C, turn left, taxi to 28L.' (turning left after crossing runway 10C would be a logical turn for a 28L departure, but to emphasize the instructions my first officer included turn left in his readback). However, after crossing runway 32, the controller advised us that we had crossed an active runway. I asked the first officer if we were instructed to hold short of runway 32, he said no. I questioned the controller as to when he advised us to hold short. He then advised me that with the opening of the new terminal this would be the preferred route to that runway. He further said that he had instructed us to use intersection J. That would, of course, be short of runway 32. It was not until reaching cruise altitude on that leg (pit-iah) that I had a chance to read a flight information letter (fil) concerning the new pit terminal. In it were guidelines about taxiing to all runways at pit. After reading the letter, it became clear to me what the controller was talking about. The problem, however, is twofold. First, the fil was not in my mailbox when I started my trip on 10/X. I just happened to see it located in a separate box on the floor. My first officer did not see the box and therefore did not have one. Secondly, other airline/non-airline operators into and out of pit might not have access to this type of information. But, according to the controller, they would also be responsible for the new taxi routing. Finally, an effective mechanism for dispensing this type of information is imperative to any safe operation. And just as important, this type of information must be made available to all pilots and for a reasonable time before implementation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MLG ACR WAS ALLEGED TO HAVE CROSSED AN ACTIVE RWY WHILE TAXIING OUT OF THE NEW TERMINAL AT PIT.

Narrative: THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME IN PIT SINCE THE OPENING OF THE NEW MIDFIELD TERMINAL. IT WAS ALSO THE FIRST TIME FOR MY FO. THE GND CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO TAXI TO 28L VIA V5, CROSS 10C. MY FO INDICATED THAT HE HAD HEARD THE SAME INSTRUCTIONS. HE ALSO SAID THAT HE READ BACK 'CROSS 10C, TURN L, TAXI TO 28L.' (TURNING L AFTER XING RWY 10C WOULD BE A LOGICAL TURN FOR A 28L DEP, BUT TO EMPHASIZE THE INSTRUCTIONS MY FO INCLUDED TURN L IN HIS READBACK). HOWEVER, AFTER XING RWY 32, THE CTLR ADVISED US THAT WE HAD CROSSED AN ACTIVE RWY. I ASKED THE FO IF WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 32, HE SAID NO. I QUESTIONED THE CTLR AS TO WHEN HE ADVISED US TO HOLD SHORT. HE THEN ADVISED ME THAT WITH THE OPENING OF THE NEW TERMINAL THIS WOULD BE THE PREFERRED RTE TO THAT RWY. HE FURTHER SAID THAT HE HAD INSTRUCTED US TO USE INTXN J. THAT WOULD, OF COURSE, BE SHORT OF RWY 32. IT WAS NOT UNTIL REACHING CRUISE ALT ON THAT LEG (PIT-IAH) THAT I HAD A CHANCE TO READ A FLT INFO LETTER (FIL) CONCERNING THE NEW PIT TERMINAL. IN IT WERE GUIDELINES ABOUT TAXIING TO ALL RWYS AT PIT. AFTER READING THE LETTER, IT BECAME CLR TO ME WHAT THE CTLR WAS TALKING ABOUT. THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER, IS TWOFOLD. FIRST, THE FIL WAS NOT IN MY MAILBOX WHEN I STARTED MY TRIP ON 10/X. I JUST HAPPENED TO SEE IT LOCATED IN A SEPARATE BOX ON THE FLOOR. MY FO DID NOT SEE THE BOX AND THEREFORE DID NOT HAVE ONE. SECONDLY, OTHER AIRLINE/NON-AIRLINE OPERATORS INTO AND OUT OF PIT MIGHT NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THIS TYPE OF INFO. BUT, ACCORDING TO THE CTLR, THEY WOULD ALSO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NEW TAXI ROUTING. FINALLY, AN EFFECTIVE MECHANISM FOR DISPENSING THIS TYPE OF INFO IS IMPERATIVE TO ANY SAFE OP. AND JUST AS IMPORTANT, THIS TYPE OF INFO MUST BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL PLTS AND FOR A REASONABLE TIME BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION.

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.