Narrative:

While taxiing for takeoff from charleston, south carolina, (cleared to taxi runway 21, hold short runway 15) we experienced 2 minor cap panel lights needing system attention and correction. We had just landed on runway 15, with a full airplane, and were returning to iad with a full aircraft and a jumpseater. We had left iad late by some 25-30 mins and as a result were behind schedule. I was concerned with passenger connections and wanted to get airborne. As we were heavily loaded I wanted to use runway 15 for takeoff, but, never verbalized this desire, and hearing runway 15 in our taxi clearance and being rushed I assumed runway 15 was the cleared to taxi runway. Runway 21 also had a 9 KT tailwind which mentally reinforced my incorrect, runway 15 assumption. When I reached the end of runway 21, I crossed it as necessary to taxi to runway 15. The first officer being busy with his duties, head down as it were, did not catch my error. The controller's query brought my mistake to our attention, I apologized and told him I had wanted runway 15 and thus thought (incorrectly) that was how we had been cleared. There was no other traffic in the area or on ground control at the time, however the unauthorized runway intrusion as always has the potential for severe danger! Reasons: allowing myself to get into a hurry-up mode, very unsafe and primary cause. Not repeating and verbalizing our taxi clearance instructions as I normally do. The distrs of clearing the 2 minor system problems just as we began to taxi. Corrective action: slow down, verbalize, communicate better.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH RWY XING -- ACR CROSSES AN ACTIVE RWY WITH CLRNC WHILE TAXING TO THE WRONG RWY.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING FOR TKOF FROM CHARLESTON, S CAROLINA, (CLRED TO TAXI RWY 21, HOLD SHORT RWY 15) WE EXPERIENCED 2 MINOR CAP PANEL LIGHTS NEEDING SYS ATTN AND CORRECTION. WE HAD JUST LANDED ON RWY 15, WITH A FULL AIRPLANE, AND WERE RETURNING TO IAD WITH A FULL ACFT AND A JUMPSEATER. WE HAD LEFT IAD LATE BY SOME 25-30 MINS AND AS A RESULT WERE BEHIND SCHEDULE. I WAS CONCERNED WITH PAX CONNECTIONS AND WANTED TO GET AIRBORNE. AS WE WERE HEAVILY LOADED I WANTED TO USE RWY 15 FOR TKOF, BUT, NEVER VERBALIZED THIS DESIRE, AND HEARING RWY 15 IN OUR TAXI CLRNC AND BEING RUSHED I ASSUMED RWY 15 WAS THE CLRED TO TAXI RWY. RWY 21 ALSO HAD A 9 KT TAILWIND WHICH MENTALLY REINFORCED MY INCORRECT, RWY 15 ASSUMPTION. WHEN I REACHED THE END OF RWY 21, I CROSSED IT AS NECESSARY TO TAXI TO RWY 15. THE FO BEING BUSY WITH HIS DUTIES, HEAD DOWN AS IT WERE, DID NOT CATCH MY ERROR. THE CTLR'S QUERY BROUGHT MY MISTAKE TO OUR ATTN, I APOLOGIZED AND TOLD HIM I HAD WANTED RWY 15 AND THUS THOUGHT (INCORRECTLY) THAT WAS HOW WE HAD BEEN CLRED. THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC IN THE AREA OR ON GND CTL AT THE TIME, HOWEVER THE UNAUTH RWY INTRUSION AS ALWAYS HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE DANGER! REASONS: ALLOWING MYSELF TO GET INTO A HURRY-UP MODE, VERY UNSAFE AND PRIMARY CAUSE. NOT REPEATING AND VERBALIZING OUR TAXI CLRNC INSTRUCTIONS AS I NORMALLY DO. THE DISTRS OF CLRING THE 2 MINOR SYS PROBS JUST AS WE BEGAN TO TAXI. CORRECTIVE ACTION: SLOW DOWN, VERBALIZE, COMMUNICATE BETTER.

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.