Narrative:

After landing on runway 18R and using high speed taxiway E4, we requested and received progressive taxi instructions to an FBO located on the east side of the airport. The ground controller instructed us to turn left on taxiway east and right on taxiway a. Neither one of us saw the sign for taxiway a, and since the controller's clearance did not include a 'hold short of runway 23' request, we assumed that we had authority/authorized to cross runway 23. We continued taxiing north on taxiway east, believing that we would soon see a sign for taxiway a on our right. The controller then instructed us to turn right on taxiway M and to hold short of runway 23 at taxiway B, due to landing traffic. All instructions were acknowledged by us. After arriving at the FBO, we were asked to contact the control tower by phone. The chief controller informed me that we had caused an active runway incursion, with traffic on final approach. This airplane did not land until after we had arrived, and were holding short of runway 23, as taxiway B (taxiway A4 starts on the south side of runway 23). I apologized to the chief controller and informed him that neither one of us had seen the sign for taxiway a. He suggested that I call airport operations to check the status of the lights at taxiway a. Airport operations said they would check the lights as soon as they could. Darkness, unfamiliarity with the airport, and perhaps relying too much on the 'step-by-step' progressive taxi instructions from the ground controller, contributed to us inadvertently crossing this runway. Even though a hazardous situation did not occur, I must, and will, acknowledge that the potential was there. I will recommit myself to great caution and vigilance when taxiing, even while 'on progressive,' while at busy, unfamiliar airports with multiple, intersecting runways. For your convenience, I have included a copy of the clt airport diagram/layout.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR FLC IN AN MU3 OVERSHOT A TXWY AND CROSSED AN ACTIVE RWY WITHOUT AUTH.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG ON RWY 18R AND USING HIGH SPD TXWY E4, WE REQUESTED AND RECEIVED PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO AN FBO LOCATED ON THE E SIDE OF THE ARPT. THE GND CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO TURN L ON TXWY E AND R ON TXWY A. NEITHER ONE OF US SAW THE SIGN FOR TXWY A, AND SINCE THE CTLR'S CLRNC DID NOT INCLUDE A 'HOLD SHORT OF RWY 23' REQUEST, WE ASSUMED THAT WE HAD AUTH TO CROSS RWY 23. WE CONTINUED TAXIING N ON TXWY E, BELIEVING THAT WE WOULD SOON SEE A SIGN FOR TXWY A ON OUR R. THE CTLR THEN INSTRUCTED US TO TURN R ON TXWY M AND TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 23 AT TXWY B, DUE TO LNDG TFC. ALL INSTRUCTIONS WERE ACKNOWLEDGED BY US. AFTER ARRIVING AT THE FBO, WE WERE ASKED TO CONTACT THE CTL TWR BY PHONE. THE CHIEF CTLR INFORMED ME THAT WE HAD CAUSED AN ACTIVE RWY INCURSION, WITH TFC ON FINAL APCH. THIS AIRPLANE DID NOT LAND UNTIL AFTER WE HAD ARRIVED, AND WERE HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 23, AS TXWY B (TXWY A4 STARTS ON THE S SIDE OF RWY 23). I APOLOGIZED TO THE CHIEF CTLR AND INFORMED HIM THAT NEITHER ONE OF US HAD SEEN THE SIGN FOR TXWY A. HE SUGGESTED THAT I CALL ARPT OPS TO CHK THE STATUS OF THE LIGHTS AT TXWY A. ARPT OPS SAID THEY WOULD CHK THE LIGHTS AS SOON AS THEY COULD. DARKNESS, UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE ARPT, AND PERHAPS RELYING TOO MUCH ON THE 'STEP-BY-STEP' PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE GND CTLR, CONTRIBUTED TO US INADVERTENTLY XING THIS RWY. EVEN THOUGH A HAZARDOUS SIT DID NOT OCCUR, I MUST, AND WILL, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE POTENTIAL WAS THERE. I WILL RECOMMIT MYSELF TO GREAT CAUTION AND VIGILANCE WHEN TAXIING, EVEN WHILE 'ON PROGRESSIVE,' WHILE AT BUSY, UNFAMILIAR ARPTS WITH MULTIPLE, INTERSECTING RWYS. FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE, I HAVE INCLUDED A COPY OF THE CLT ARPT DIAGRAM/LAYOUT.

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.