Corporate pilot taxies onto active runway.

Attributes
ACN	293367
Time
Date	199501
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	PA-31P Navajo P
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	293367
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The writer taxied from FBO southeast corner of dtw airport. The writer-in-command was issued taxi clearance to designated runway for takeoff runway 3 and runway 21, active runway being runway 3. I mistakenly taxied onto active runway 3 without clearance from the tower. Being still on ground control, I did not realize I had taxied onto an active runway. The circumstances were twofold: the runway control stripes were covered with snow and there was a corporate jet in front of me back-taxiing on active runway 3 heading 210 degrees and crossed in front of me right to left. This added to my assumption it was a taxi rather than an active runway. If I would have looked at my charts ahead of time, I probably would have known the error of my ways, but neglected to do so. Fortunately, at no time was there danger of running into another aircraft due to the before mentioned corporate jet back taxiing in front of me. Thanking you in advance for your help and consideration. I take flying seriously and attend flight safety recurrence schooling for PA31 at lakeland, fl, twice a yr and have for many yrs. I have learned the hard way that haste makes waste.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORPORATE PLT TAXIES ONTO ACTIVE RWY.

Narrative: THE WRITER TAXIED FROM FBO SE CORNER OF DTW ARPT. THE WRITER-IN-COMMAND WAS ISSUED TAXI CLRNC TO DESIGNATED RWY FOR TKOF RWY 3 AND RWY 21, ACTIVE RWY BEING RWY 3. I MISTAKENLY TAXIED ONTO ACTIVE RWY 3 WITHOUT CLRNC FROM THE TWR. BEING STILL ON GND CTL, I DID NOT REALIZE I HAD TAXIED ONTO AN ACTIVE RWY. THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE TWOFOLD: THE RWY CTL STRIPES WERE COVERED WITH SNOW AND THERE WAS A CORPORATE JET IN FRONT OF ME BACK-TAXIING ON ACTIVE RWY 3 HDG 210 DEGS AND CROSSED IN FRONT OF ME R TO L. THIS ADDED TO MY ASSUMPTION IT WAS A TAXI RATHER THAN AN ACTIVE RWY. IF I WOULD HAVE LOOKED AT MY CHARTS AHEAD OF TIME, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE KNOWN THE ERROR OF MY WAYS, BUT NEGLECTED TO DO SO. FORTUNATELY, AT NO TIME WAS THERE DANGER OF RUNNING INTO ANOTHER ACFT DUE TO THE BEFORE MENTIONED CORPORATE JET BACK TAXIING IN FRONT OF ME. THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP AND CONSIDERATION. I TAKE FLYING SERIOUSLY AND ATTEND FLT SAFETY RECURRENCE SCHOOLING FOR PA31 AT LAKELAND, FL, TWICE A YR AND HAVE FOR MANY YRS. I HAVE LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT HASTE MAKES WASTE.

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.