Narrative:

After I refueled my flying club's grumman aa-1B on the north side of fullerton airport, I had to taxi to the south side to my designated tiedown. This involved crossing fullerton's only runway (6-24). I started the engine and called ground control requesting a taxi to the south side (GA). The controller responded, 'grumman, roger, taxi general.' I read back this clearance and proceeded, having never received instructions to hold short of the active runway. Remembering back, I remembered reading an far stating that a taxi clearance containing no hold short instructions or otherwise, permits the operator to taxi to the destination via txwys and crossing runways. I now know that although this is true, it does not permit the operator to cross an active runway. At any rate, I proceeded to cross the active runway without holding short. The next thing I knew the ground controller was commanding me to stop immediately. I looked quickly to my left and observed a low-wing aircraft (possibly a mooney) climbing out with gear down. Although the ground controller was still commanding me to stop, I did not do so until I was clear of the active runway. I believe this was my best judgement, as I no longer wanted to be in the way of a departing aircraft. Once clear of the active, I called the controller and apologized for the mistake. She acknowledged and cleared me to my original destination. There were no further incidents. After the flight, I drove home and consulted my aim so I could figure out what went wrong. Of course, I did find out, but I cannot help but placing some blame on the ground controller. There are a vast number of far's that all pilots must adhere to. To expect a person to know every one of these regulations would be foolish. Why, then, didn't my clearance read something like this?: 'grumman, roger, taxi general, hold short of runway 24.' airplanes are fast-moving, fragile machines, and any mistake can have tragic consequences. Pilots and controllers are generally a very intelligent, courteous bunch. I think it would be in our best interest to communicate not only efficiently but effectively. Maybe all taxi clrncs that involve crossing an active runway should include an appropriate hold short clearance. This might eliminate confusion as well as more incidents similar to this one. (I'm sure there are a few).

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNCOORD RWY ENTRY OP CREATES A POTENTIAL CONFLICT BTWN TAXIING DEP TFC.

Narrative: AFTER I REFUELED MY FLYING CLUB'S GRUMMAN AA-1B ON THE N SIDE OF FULLERTON ARPT, I HAD TO TAXI TO THE S SIDE TO MY DESIGNATED TIEDOWN. THIS INVOLVED XING FULLERTON'S ONLY RWY (6-24). I STARTED THE ENG AND CALLED GND CTL REQUESTING A TAXI TO THE S SIDE (GA). THE CTLR RESPONDED, 'GRUMMAN, ROGER, TAXI GENERAL.' I READ BACK THIS CLRNC AND PROCEEDED, HAVING NEVER RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS TO HOLD SHORT OF THE ACTIVE RWY. REMEMBERING BACK, I REMEMBERED READING AN FAR STATING THAT A TAXI CLRNC CONTAINING NO HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTIONS OR OTHERWISE, PERMITS THE OPERATOR TO TAXI TO THE DEST VIA TXWYS AND XING RWYS. I NOW KNOW THAT ALTHOUGH THIS IS TRUE, IT DOES NOT PERMIT THE OPERATOR TO CROSS AN ACTIVE RWY. AT ANY RATE, I PROCEEDED TO CROSS THE ACTIVE RWY WITHOUT HOLDING SHORT. THE NEXT THING I KNEW THE GND CTLR WAS COMMANDING ME TO STOP IMMEDIATELY. I LOOKED QUICKLY TO MY L AND OBSERVED A LOW-WING ACFT (POSSIBLY A MOONEY) CLBING OUT WITH GEAR DOWN. ALTHOUGH THE GND CTLR WAS STILL COMMANDING ME TO STOP, I DID NOT DO SO UNTIL I WAS CLR OF THE ACTIVE RWY. I BELIEVE THIS WAS MY BEST JUDGEMENT, AS I NO LONGER WANTED TO BE IN THE WAY OF A DEPARTING ACFT. ONCE CLR OF THE ACTIVE, I CALLED THE CTLR AND APOLOGIZED FOR THE MISTAKE. SHE ACKNOWLEDGED AND CLRED ME TO MY ORIGINAL DEST. THERE WERE NO FURTHER INCIDENTS. AFTER THE FLT, I DROVE HOME AND CONSULTED MY AIM SO I COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT WENT WRONG. OF COURSE, I DID FIND OUT, BUT I CANNOT HELP BUT PLACING SOME BLAME ON THE GND CTLR. THERE ARE A VAST NUMBER OF FAR'S THAT ALL PLTS MUST ADHERE TO. TO EXPECT A PERSON TO KNOW EVERY ONE OF THESE REGS WOULD BE FOOLISH. WHY, THEN, DIDN'T MY CLRNC READ SOMETHING LIKE THIS?: 'GRUMMAN, ROGER, TAXI GENERAL, HOLD SHORT OF RWY 24.' AIRPLANES ARE FAST-MOVING, FRAGILE MACHINES, AND ANY MISTAKE CAN HAVE TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES. PLTS AND CTLRS ARE GENERALLY A VERY INTELLIGENT, COURTEOUS BUNCH. I THINK IT WOULD BE IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO COMMUNICATE NOT ONLY EFFICIENTLY BUT EFFECTIVELY. MAYBE ALL TAXI CLRNCS THAT INVOLVE XING AN ACTIVE RWY SHOULD INCLUDE AN APPROPRIATE HOLD SHORT CLRNC. THIS MIGHT ELIMINATE CONFUSION AS WELL AS MORE INCIDENTS SIMILAR TO THIS ONE. (I'M SURE THERE ARE A FEW).

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.