Narrative:

Upon taxiing to 20C, we were advised by company operations to contact dispatch. Since the conversation was not complete as I neared the runway, I parked in the 'hold' area and advised 'ground' what we were doing. They acknowledged and asked us to contact them when ready. When we did that, ground cleared us to 20C. As I taxied up to the runway, the first officer was giving the pre-departure briefing to the passenger. I checked 'final' and taxied directly onto the runway thinking I had been cleared onto the runway. The first officer looked a bit startled, but continued his briefing, thinking I had received clearance. I don't remember if we had switched the radio to 'tower' yet. I had only just lined up with the runway and set the brake when tower called and advised us that there was a taxiway just ahead, to please taxi off the runway since there was an aircraft on final. This I did, and a couple of mins later, an small aircraft landed. Cause -- I had become preoccupied with the results of the conversation with dispatch, though I did not participate -- and had accepted in my own mind that I had been cleared 'onto' the runway. Had I located the aircraft on final, I would have stopped. Contributing factor -- WX at destination -- reason for the conversation with dispatch. Also, we were late getting away from the blocks due to late bags. Corrective action -- increased intensity on my part. This is the only time I have ever taken a runway without clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY INCURSION. UNAUTH RWY ENTRY.

Narrative: UPON TAXIING TO 20C, WE WERE ADVISED BY COMPANY OPS TO CONTACT DISPATCH. SINCE THE CONVERSATION WAS NOT COMPLETE AS I NEARED THE RWY, I PARKED IN THE 'HOLD' AREA AND ADVISED 'GND' WHAT WE WERE DOING. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED AND ASKED US TO CONTACT THEM WHEN READY. WHEN WE DID THAT, GND CLRED US TO 20C. AS I TAXIED UP TO THE RWY, THE FO WAS GIVING THE PRE-DEP BRIEFING TO THE PAX. I CHKED 'FINAL' AND TAXIED DIRECTLY ONTO THE RWY THINKING I HAD BEEN CLRED ONTO THE RWY. THE FO LOOKED A BIT STARTLED, BUT CONTINUED HIS BRIEFING, THINKING I HAD RECEIVED CLRNC. I DON'T REMEMBER IF WE HAD SWITCHED THE RADIO TO 'TWR' YET. I HAD ONLY JUST LINED UP WITH THE RWY AND SET THE BRAKE WHEN TWR CALLED AND ADVISED US THAT THERE WAS A TXWY JUST AHEAD, TO PLEASE TAXI OFF THE RWY SINCE THERE WAS AN ACFT ON FINAL. THIS I DID, AND A COUPLE OF MINS LATER, AN SMA LANDED. CAUSE -- I HAD BECOME PREOCCUPIED WITH THE RESULTS OF THE CONVERSATION WITH DISPATCH, THOUGH I DID NOT PARTICIPATE -- AND HAD ACCEPTED IN MY OWN MIND THAT I HAD BEEN CLRED 'ONTO' THE RWY. HAD I LOCATED THE ACFT ON FINAL, I WOULD HAVE STOPPED. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR -- WX AT DEST -- REASON FOR THE CONVERSATION WITH DISPATCH. ALSO, WE WERE LATE GETTING AWAY FROM THE BLOCKS DUE TO LATE BAGS. CORRECTIVE ACTION -- INCREASED INTENSITY ON MY PART. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME I HAVE EVER TAKEN A RWY WITHOUT CLRNC.

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.