Narrative:

On mar/xx/94 we were finishing our last of 6 legs from pit to cvg. After loading our passenger, we contacted pittsburgh ramp for taxi. The ramp controller told us to taxi to A3 where we were to follow air carrier Y out to runway 28R. The controller also told us to monitor ground at A1. After crossing A1, we switched over and continued on with our checks. The frequency was quiet, so my first officer just checked in with ground, saying we were with them to runway 28R. The controller acted surprised, and unaware of our whereabouts. He finally said, 'oh, there you are,' and told us to continue up to the runway and to hold short. A couple of seconds went by, and then the ground controller came back and told us that we had taxied on an active taxiway without a taxi clearance. He said that it wasn't a problem, but to watch ourselves from now on. I think that this could have been avoided if things were kept somewhat standard. All of the other times I have been at pit, and told to taxi to runway 28R, we were always told to taxi to A3, hold short of taxiway a, and contact ground at that time. In this case, ramp control gave us permission to start taxiing up taxiway a behind air carrier Y. Ramp control, phraseology in telling us to either contact or to monitor ground at A1 is still unknown, although both myself and my first officer are sure that ramp said to monitor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH TAXI PROC IN A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: ON MAR/XX/94 WE WERE FINISHING OUR LAST OF 6 LEGS FROM PIT TO CVG. AFTER LOADING OUR PAX, WE CONTACTED PITTSBURGH RAMP FOR TAXI. THE RAMP CTLR TOLD US TO TAXI TO A3 WHERE WE WERE TO FOLLOW ACR Y OUT TO RWY 28R. THE CTLR ALSO TOLD US TO MONITOR GND AT A1. AFTER XING A1, WE SWITCHED OVER AND CONTINUED ON WITH OUR CHKS. THE FREQ WAS QUIET, SO MY FO JUST CHKED IN WITH GND, SAYING WE WERE WITH THEM TO RWY 28R. THE CTLR ACTED SURPRISED, AND UNAWARE OF OUR WHEREABOUTS. HE FINALLY SAID, 'OH, THERE YOU ARE,' AND TOLD US TO CONTINUE UP TO THE RWY AND TO HOLD SHORT. A COUPLE OF SECONDS WENT BY, AND THEN THE GND CTLR CAME BACK AND TOLD US THAT WE HAD TAXIED ON AN ACTIVE TXWY WITHOUT A TAXI CLRNC. HE SAID THAT IT WASN'T A PROB, BUT TO WATCH OURSELVES FROM NOW ON. I THINK THAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THINGS WERE KEPT SOMEWHAT STANDARD. ALL OF THE OTHER TIMES I HAVE BEEN AT PIT, AND TOLD TO TAXI TO RWY 28R, WE WERE ALWAYS TOLD TO TAXI TO A3, HOLD SHORT OF TXWY A, AND CONTACT GND AT THAT TIME. IN THIS CASE, RAMP CTL GAVE US PERMISSION TO START TAXIING UP TXWY A BEHIND ACR Y. RAMP CTL, PHRASEOLOGY IN TELLING US TO EITHER CONTACT OR TO MONITOR GND AT A1 IS STILL UNKNOWN, ALTHOUGH BOTH MYSELF AND MY FO ARE SURE THAT RAMP SAID TO MONITOR.

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.