Narrative:

We were holding in the runway 22 holding pad. We had a mechanical problem and had to return to the gate. I was listening to both the copilot talking to maintenance and ground control. We received a clearance to return to the gate after another aircraft passed in front of us. As we were turning into the alley ground control called to ask us to call them when we got into the gate. On the phone the controller informed me the clearance was to hold short of runway 29R on taxiway C after the other aircraft went by. I must have been distracted listening to the maintenance problem because I thought the clearance was to return to the gate once the other aircraft was clear. Bottom line is, the primary job is to pay attention to the movement of the aircraft, all the other stuff can wait until you're parked at the gate. Supplemental information from acn 296158: I switched to the maintenance frequency and was told that we would have to return to the gate. I advised the captain, then went to ramp control frequency to find out to which gate we would return. After returning I switched to ground control and advised them of our situation. He told us to give way to 1 aircraft and return to the gate from the way we came and to hold short of runway 29R. After I read back the taxi instructions, I called maintenance back to inform them of what gate we were returning to and then I called dispatch to advise them. During the radio calls we taxied across runway 29R. After crossing runway 29R I switched to ground in time to hear him instruct us to call the tower when we arrived at the gate. I should have waited with my radio calls until crossing the runway. It all comes back to 'aviate, navigation, and communicate.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLTDEV, CROSSED RWY WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE HOLDING IN THE RWY 22 HOLDING PAD. WE HAD A MECHANICAL PROB AND HAD TO RETURN TO THE GATE. I WAS LISTENING TO BOTH THE COPLT TALKING TO MAINT AND GND CTL. WE RECEIVED A CLRNC TO RETURN TO THE GATE AFTER ANOTHER ACFT PASSED IN FRONT OF US. AS WE WERE TURNING INTO THE ALLEY GND CTL CALLED TO ASK US TO CALL THEM WHEN WE GOT INTO THE GATE. ON THE PHONE THE CTLR INFORMED ME THE CLRNC WAS TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 29R ON TXWY C AFTER THE OTHER ACFT WENT BY. I MUST HAVE BEEN DISTRACTED LISTENING TO THE MAINT PROB BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE CLRNC WAS TO RETURN TO THE GATE ONCE THE OTHER ACFT WAS CLR. BOTTOM LINE IS, THE PRIMARY JOB IS TO PAY ATTN TO THE MOVEMENT OF THE ACFT, ALL THE OTHER STUFF CAN WAIT UNTIL YOU'RE PARKED AT THE GATE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 296158: I SWITCHED TO THE MAINT FREQ AND WAS TOLD THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO RETURN TO THE GATE. I ADVISED THE CAPT, THEN WENT TO RAMP CTL FREQ TO FIND OUT TO WHICH GATE WE WOULD RETURN. AFTER RETURNING I SWITCHED TO GND CTL AND ADVISED THEM OF OUR SIT. HE TOLD US TO GIVE WAY TO 1 ACFT AND RETURN TO THE GATE FROM THE WAY WE CAME AND TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 29R. AFTER I READ BACK THE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS, I CALLED MAINT BACK TO INFORM THEM OF WHAT GATE WE WERE RETURNING TO AND THEN I CALLED DISPATCH TO ADVISE THEM. DURING THE RADIO CALLS WE TAXIED ACROSS RWY 29R. AFTER XING RWY 29R I SWITCHED TO GND IN TIME TO HEAR HIM INSTRUCT US TO CALL THE TWR WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE GATE. I SHOULD HAVE WAITED WITH MY RADIO CALLS UNTIL XING THE RWY. IT ALL COMES BACK TO 'AVIATE, NAV, AND COMMUNICATE.'

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.