Narrative:

Parked on FBO ramp at almost the hold line, started engines, turned to hold line of runway 30R. At same time first officer called for taxi instructions. Ground advised to taxi to taxiway a to the parallel runway 12L, etc. First officer had taxi chart and thought that we were on taxiway a and that we were to back taxi on runway 30R. Just as we crossed holding line, ground control saw our mistake and advised we were approaching an active runway. We quickly made 180 degree turn back to ramp. Pwk is a very confusing airport if you are not familiar -- too many crossing txwys and runways, poorly marked. I, as captain, should not have been so reliant on copilot's interpretation of airport diagram. Ground controller did good job of spotting mistake, but believe he should have used term taxi via parallel taxiway of 12L.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LTT CPR JET MISTAKENLY TAXIED ONTO AN ACTIVE RWY DUE TO TAXI CLRNC CONFUSION.

Narrative: PARKED ON FBO RAMP AT ALMOST THE HOLD LINE, STARTED ENGS, TURNED TO HOLD LINE OF RWY 30R. AT SAME TIME FO CALLED FOR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. GND ADVISED TO TAXI TO TXWY A TO THE PARALLEL RWY 12L, ETC. FO HAD TAXI CHART AND THOUGHT THAT WE WERE ON TXWY A AND THAT WE WERE TO BACK TAXI ON RWY 30R. JUST AS WE CROSSED HOLDING LINE, GND CTL SAW OUR MISTAKE AND ADVISED WE WERE APCHING AN ACTIVE RWY. WE QUICKLY MADE 180 DEG TURN BACK TO RAMP. PWK IS A VERY CONFUSING ARPT IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR -- TOO MANY XING TXWYS AND RWYS, POORLY MARKED. I, AS CAPT, SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SO RELIANT ON COPLT'S INTERP OF ARPT DIAGRAM. GND CTLR DID GOOD JOB OF SPOTTING MISTAKE, BUT BELIEVE HE SHOULD HAVE USED TERM TAXI VIA PARALLEL TXWY OF 12L.

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.