Runway incursion, unauthorized runway entry.

Attributes
ACN	241143
Time
Date	199305
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cmi
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 2 flight time total : 2100 flight time type : 3
ASRS Report	241143
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At the time, the tower controled airport was very inactive. We were the only aircraft operating in the area. We were instructed by the tower (working ground control also) to taxi to the runup pad. After reporting ready for takeoff, we were told to taxi for intersection takeoff on runway 14. Approaching the hold lines, I was not sure if we had been cleared onto the runway. I thought that we had been but I asked the tower to verify that we were cleared onto the runway. His response was taxi for runway 14 intersection. I inaccurately interpreted this as clearance to taxi onto the runway. The tower instructed me on the proper procedure once I was on the runway. I attribute the situation to being at an unfamiliar airport and even though the verbiage and procedures are standard, I simply misinterpreted the instruction. I was anticipating the takeoff clearance due to the absence of traffic on the ground and on final.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY INCURSION, UNAUTH RWY ENTRY.

Narrative: AT THE TIME, THE TWR CTLED ARPT WAS VERY INACTIVE. WE WERE THE ONLY ACFT OPERATING IN THE AREA. WE WERE INSTRUCTED BY THE TWR (WORKING GND CTL ALSO) TO TAXI TO THE RUNUP PAD. AFTER RPTING READY FOR TKOF, WE WERE TOLD TO TAXI FOR INTXN TKOF ON RWY 14. APCHING THE HOLD LINES, I WAS NOT SURE IF WE HAD BEEN CLRED ONTO THE RWY. I THOUGHT THAT WE HAD BEEN BUT I ASKED THE TWR TO VERIFY THAT WE WERE CLRED ONTO THE RWY. HIS RESPONSE WAS TAXI FOR RWY 14 INTXN. I INACCURATELY INTERPRETED THIS AS CLRNC TO TAXI ONTO THE RWY. THE TWR INSTRUCTED ME ON THE PROPER PROC ONCE I WAS ON THE RWY. I ATTRIBUTE THE SIT TO BEING AT AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT AND EVEN THOUGH THE VERBIAGE AND PROCS ARE STANDARD, I SIMPLY MISINTERPRETED THE INSTRUCTION. I WAS ANTICIPATING THE TKOF CLRNC DUE TO THE ABSENCE OF TFC ON THE GND AND ON FINAL.

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.