MD80 flight crew inadvertently cross the runway 17R hold line at dfw in heavy rain conditions.

Attributes
ACN	303562
Time
Date	199505
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	303562
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Due to heavy rain and lightning, gate departure was delayed 34 mins (ramp closed). When pwrback requested, we were cleared to pwrback, taxi, left turn, exit spot xx. After pwrback and still on the ramp yellow line, ground started asking, spot xx. The first officer acknowledged and we were cleared standard taxi runway 17R. Due to the heavy rain and severe local thunderstorms, I turned on the radar exiting the ramp in order to check the WX to the east and north. I missed taxiway left thinking it to be taxiway K and passed the hold short line for runway 17R at taxiway ej by about 5-10 ft. I immediately realized my error and stopped short of the actual runway edge by about 40 ft. Simultaneously, ground control stated 'you are on the runway, contact tower.' tower stated there was no conflict or problems and we were cleared onto the runway to back-taxi to the end. Probable causes: 1) rushing by both ramp and ground controllers during ramp taxi. 2) heavy rain, reduced visibility and taxiway construction. 3) pilot overconcern about severe WX and subsequent inattn to aircraft position and movement during taxi while checking radar for possible departure deviations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLT CREW INADVERTENTLY CROSS THE RWY 17R HOLD LINE AT DFW IN HVY RAIN CONDITIONS.

Narrative: DUE TO HVY RAIN AND LIGHTNING, GATE DEP WAS DELAYED 34 MINS (RAMP CLOSED). WHEN PWRBACK REQUESTED, WE WERE CLRED TO PWRBACK, TAXI, L TURN, EXIT SPOT XX. AFTER PWRBACK AND STILL ON THE RAMP YELLOW LINE, GND STARTED ASKING, SPOT XX. THE FO ACKNOWLEDGED AND WE WERE CLRED STANDARD TAXI RWY 17R. DUE TO THE HVY RAIN AND SEVERE LCL TSTMS, I TURNED ON THE RADAR EXITING THE RAMP IN ORDER TO CHK THE WX TO THE E AND N. I MISSED TXWY L THINKING IT TO BE TXWY K AND PASSED THE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 17R AT TXWY EJ BY ABOUT 5-10 FT. I IMMEDIATELY REALIZED MY ERROR AND STOPPED SHORT OF THE ACTUAL RWY EDGE BY ABOUT 40 FT. SIMULTANEOUSLY, GND CTL STATED 'YOU ARE ON THE RWY, CONTACT TWR.' TWR STATED THERE WAS NO CONFLICT OR PROBS AND WE WERE CLRED ONTO THE RWY TO BACK-TAXI TO THE END. PROBABLE CAUSES: 1) RUSHING BY BOTH RAMP AND GND CTLRS DURING RAMP TAXI. 2) HVY RAIN, REDUCED VISIBILITY AND TXWY CONSTRUCTION. 3) PLT OVERCONCERN ABOUT SEVERE WX AND SUBSEQUENT INATTN TO ACFT POS AND MOVEMENT DURING TAXI WHILE CHKING RADAR FOR POSSIBLE DEP DEVS.

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.