Unauthorized runway crossing in a night operation.

Attributes
ACN	296511
Time
Date	199502
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tpa
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 6400 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	296511
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

This situation occurred while I was taxiing out from FBO at tampa international. I was not familiar with the airport and requested a 'progressive taxi' to my assigned runway, runway 9. Ground control was combined with tower frequency this night due to a relatively light traffic load. I was told to go to runway 9 via taxiway east (echo) and not to cross runway 18L. Shortly after beginning my taxi on taxiway east, I became lost and, again, requested a 'progressive' from ground control. They provided me with vague and what I felt was an 'irritable' response rather than specific directions as I had requested. Somehow, I turned off of taxiway east and got onto taxiway south and stopped short of active runway 18L at the intersection of txwys south and D. At no time did I cross onto the active runway 18L. However, when I once again requested directions, tower/ground stated that they 'couldn't see me' and mentioned something to the fact that they thought I had either crossed, or had taxied onto runway 18L. There was traffic approaching on this runway on a 2-MI final. I again stated that I was at the D intersection and that I would go back (make a 180) a bit and pick up taxiway east, getting further away from runway 18L. I did make the 180 degree on taxiway south and pulled back further from runway 18L. At about this time ground instructed me to go onto runway 18L and taxi down this runway for departure on runway 18L. Landing traffic had pulled off the runway. The reason for this report is that I do not know whether the ground control feels that I, in fact, did actually pull onto runway 18L when lost, or not. He did clearly state that he did not have visual contact with me at the intersection of txwys south and D and therefore has no authoritative, clear picture of exactly what occurred. I am writing this in the event that ATC at tampa international intends to pursue a violation such as a runway incursion violation. I feel that there is a major problem if ground control at tampa cannot see taxiing aircraft on a VFR, good- visibility night, or if they can properly see, fails to provide adequate assistance to a pilot who confesses his situation and requests help.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH RWY XING IN A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: THIS SIT OCCURRED WHILE I WAS TAXIING OUT FROM FBO AT TAMPA INTL. I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT AND REQUESTED A 'PROGRESSIVE TAXI' TO MY ASSIGNED RWY, RWY 9. GND CTL WAS COMBINED WITH TWR FREQ THIS NIGHT DUE TO A RELATIVELY LIGHT TFC LOAD. I WAS TOLD TO GO TO RWY 9 VIA TXWY E (ECHO) AND NOT TO CROSS RWY 18L. SHORTLY AFTER BEGINNING MY TAXI ON TXWY E, I BECAME LOST AND, AGAIN, REQUESTED A 'PROGRESSIVE' FROM GND CTL. THEY PROVIDED ME WITH VAGUE AND WHAT I FELT WAS AN 'IRRITABLE' RESPONSE RATHER THAN SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS AS I HAD REQUESTED. SOMEHOW, I TURNED OFF OF TXWY E AND GOT ONTO TXWY S AND STOPPED SHORT OF ACTIVE RWY 18L AT THE INTXN OF TXWYS S AND D. AT NO TIME DID I CROSS ONTO THE ACTIVE RWY 18L. HOWEVER, WHEN I ONCE AGAIN REQUESTED DIRECTIONS, TWR/GND STATED THAT THEY 'COULDN'T SEE ME' AND MENTIONED SOMETHING TO THE FACT THAT THEY THOUGHT I HAD EITHER CROSSED, OR HAD TAXIED ONTO RWY 18L. THERE WAS TFC APCHING ON THIS RWY ON A 2-MI FINAL. I AGAIN STATED THAT I WAS AT THE D INTXN AND THAT I WOULD GO BACK (MAKE A 180) A BIT AND PICK UP TXWY E, GETTING FURTHER AWAY FROM RWY 18L. I DID MAKE THE 180 DEG ON TXWY S AND PULLED BACK FURTHER FROM RWY 18L. AT ABOUT THIS TIME GND INSTRUCTED ME TO GO ONTO RWY 18L AND TAXI DOWN THIS RWY FOR DEP ON RWY 18L. LNDG TFC HAD PULLED OFF THE RWY. THE REASON FOR THIS RPT IS THAT I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THE GND CTL FEELS THAT I, IN FACT, DID ACTUALLY PULL ONTO RWY 18L WHEN LOST, OR NOT. HE DID CLRLY STATE THAT HE DID NOT HAVE VISUAL CONTACT WITH ME AT THE INTXN OF TXWYS S AND D AND THEREFORE HAS NO AUTHORITATIVE, CLR PICTURE OF EXACTLY WHAT OCCURRED. I AM WRITING THIS IN THE EVENT THAT ATC AT TAMPA INTL INTENDS TO PURSUE A VIOLATION SUCH AS A RWY INCURSION VIOLATION. I FEEL THAT THERE IS A MAJOR PROB IF GND CTL AT TAMPA CANNOT SEE TAXIING ACFT ON A VFR, GOOD- VISIBILITY NIGHT, OR IF THEY CAN PROPERLY SEE, FAILS TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE ASSISTANCE TO A PLT WHO CONFESSES HIS SIT AND REQUESTS HELP.

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.