Narrative:

I included both occurrences because I feel the second was a result of the first. When we first called for taxi, the ground controller told us to remain on runway 4 (she confused us with an aircraft that was taxiing on runway 4). We were then cleared to taxi. We were supposed to taxi to runway 15R, but somehow I started to taxi to runway 28. I don't know if her saying runway 4 earlier was what confused me or not. (You have to cross runway 4 to get to runway 28.) as we started to cross runway 4 (it was not an active runway), the controller told us we were going to the wrong runway. We did a 180 degree turn on runway 4 and taxied to runway 5. No conflicts. It bothers me when I make a mistake and it takes me awhile to regain my composure. We were proceeding south on J61 just north of hobbs and I knew the turn to hcm was coming soon. Unfortunately, I started thinking about my taxi error again. It was enough to distract me from turning towards hcm. We were about 10-15 mi north of hcm when I realized we were east of course. I turned to correct my error and shortly thereafter the controller cleared us direct kinston. No conflicts. Recommendations: 1) pay better attention to controllers (ground) instructions. 2) the fear of a violation is hard on the human mind. I try not to make mistakes but everyone does. The FAA should take this into consideration when they pursue action. If we were not so afraid of being violated for everything that we do wrong, it would be easier to shake off a mistake and not let it interrupt the safety of the rest of the flight. 3) I will strive to not let past mistakes cloud my thinking.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-200 TAXIES ACROSS RWY WHEN NOT CLRED.

Narrative: I INCLUDED BOTH OCCURRENCES BECAUSE I FEEL THE SECOND WAS A RESULT OF THE FIRST. WHEN WE FIRST CALLED FOR TAXI, THE GND CTLR TOLD US TO REMAIN ON RWY 4 (SHE CONFUSED US WITH AN ACFT THAT WAS TAXIING ON RWY 4). WE WERE THEN CLRED TO TAXI. WE WERE SUPPOSED TO TAXI TO RWY 15R, BUT SOMEHOW I STARTED TO TAXI TO RWY 28. I DON'T KNOW IF HER SAYING RWY 4 EARLIER WAS WHAT CONFUSED ME OR NOT. (YOU HAVE TO CROSS RWY 4 TO GET TO RWY 28.) AS WE STARTED TO CROSS RWY 4 (IT WAS NOT AN ACTIVE RWY), THE CTLR TOLD US WE WERE GOING TO THE WRONG RWY. WE DID A 180 DEG TURN ON RWY 4 AND TAXIED TO RWY 5. NO CONFLICTS. IT BOTHERS ME WHEN I MAKE A MISTAKE AND IT TAKES ME AWHILE TO REGAIN MY COMPOSURE. WE WERE PROCEEDING S ON J61 JUST N OF HOBBS AND I KNEW THE TURN TO HCM WAS COMING SOON. UNFORTUNATELY, I STARTED THINKING ABOUT MY TAXI ERROR AGAIN. IT WAS ENOUGH TO DISTRACT ME FROM TURNING TOWARDS HCM. WE WERE ABOUT 10-15 MI N OF HCM WHEN I REALIZED WE WERE E OF COURSE. I TURNED TO CORRECT MY ERROR AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE CTLR CLRED US DIRECT KINSTON. NO CONFLICTS. RECOMMENDATIONS: 1) PAY BETTER ATTENTION TO CTLRS (GND) INSTRUCTIONS. 2) THE FEAR OF A VIOLATION IS HARD ON THE HUMAN MIND. I TRY NOT TO MAKE MISTAKES BUT EVERYONE DOES. THE FAA SHOULD TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN THEY PURSUE ACTION. IF WE WERE NOT SO AFRAID OF BEING VIOLATED FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE DO WRONG, IT WOULD BE EASIER TO SHAKE OFF A MISTAKE AND NOT LET IT INTERRUPT THE SAFETY OF THE REST OF THE FLT. 3) I WILL STRIVE TO NOT LET PAST MISTAKES CLOUD MY THINKING.

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.