Narrative:

It is a common occurrence at phx, after XX00 local, for one controller to handle clearance delivery, ground frequency, and tower frequency. I was returning from east cargo to our company hangar tie downs, via txwys, east, south, B, and instructed to hold short of runway 26R (hangar is located in the extreme northwest corner of sky harbor airport). I was monitoring 120.9 (combined tower frequency) and transmitting/receiving on 119.75 (combined tower frequency). I held short of runway 26R at B7, just prior to arriving short of the hold line I heard the controller clear an airbus, operated by a large carrier, for takeoff on runway 26R. Pilot of airbus read back instructions. The angle I was holding short of runway 26R made it impossible to see the arrival end of runway 26R. After approximately 1 min maybe 2 mins the controller cleared me to cross runway 26R at intersection B7 and continue to parking. I read back the clearance slowly and clearly so as to confirm this with the controller. Prior to moving onto the runway I turned the aircraft to get as much of a view of the arrival end of runway 26R as possible. From that vantage point I saw nothing and commenced crossing runway 26R. Not full of confidence in my decision I used a higher than my usual speed in crossing. As I was crossing it was clear I was correct in my assumption the airbus had not departed and was rolling on runway 26R. Nothing was said by either ATC or the pilots of the airbus. It is possible nobody, besides myself, knew this even happened. If I had not crossed the runway at the rate I did it would have been a different conclusion. It is clear that ATC was overloaded. Although, I feel the controller working is among the best that I have worked with. The distraction of handling clrncs is time consuming and I have noticed on several occasions that the lone controller loses track of aircraft on the ground. It was my responsibility to question the controller's instructions in this case. My instincts were correct in that something was not right. I am thankful I crossed the runway at the rate that I did. The proper actions would be to query the controller. I did not feel it was wise to distract ATC any more than needed, so nothing was said after the incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ATX SMT WAS CLRED TO CROSS RWY 26R AFTER AN ACR A320 HAD BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF ON THAT RWY. WX WAS CLR AND LATE NIGHT OP WITH THE TWR POS COMBINED. RPTR DOES NOT THINK THAT THE TWR CTLR OR THE A320 FLC SAW HIM CROSS AS THEY STARTED THEIR TKOF ROLL.

Narrative: IT IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AT PHX, AFTER XX00 LCL, FOR ONE CTLR TO HANDLE CLRNC DELIVERY, GND FREQ, AND TWR FREQ. I WAS RETURNING FROM EAST CARGO TO OUR COMPANY HANGAR TIE DOWNS, VIA TXWYS, E, S, B, AND INSTRUCTED TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 26R (HANGAR IS LOCATED IN THE EXTREME NW CORNER OF SKY HARBOR ARPT). I WAS MONITORING 120.9 (COMBINED TWR FREQ) AND XMITTING/RECEIVING ON 119.75 (COMBINED TWR FREQ). I HELD SHORT OF RWY 26R AT B7, JUST PRIOR TO ARRIVING SHORT OF THE HOLD LINE I HEARD THE CTLR CLR AN AIRBUS, OPERATED BY A LARGE CARRIER, FOR TKOF ON RWY 26R. PLT OF AIRBUS READ BACK INSTRUCTIONS. THE ANGLE I WAS HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 26R MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE ARR END OF RWY 26R. AFTER APPROX 1 MIN MAYBE 2 MINS THE CTLR CLRED ME TO CROSS RWY 26R AT INTXN B7 AND CONTINUE TO PARKING. I READ BACK THE CLRNC SLOWLY AND CLRLY SO AS TO CONFIRM THIS WITH THE CTLR. PRIOR TO MOVING ONTO THE RWY I TURNED THE ACFT TO GET AS MUCH OF A VIEW OF THE ARR END OF RWY 26R AS POSSIBLE. FROM THAT VANTAGE POINT I SAW NOTHING AND COMMENCED XING RWY 26R. NOT FULL OF CONFIDENCE IN MY DECISION I USED A HIGHER THAN MY USUAL SPD IN XING. AS I WAS XING IT WAS CLR I WAS CORRECT IN MY ASSUMPTION THE AIRBUS HAD NOT DEPARTED AND WAS ROLLING ON RWY 26R. NOTHING WAS SAID BY EITHER ATC OR THE PLTS OF THE AIRBUS. IT IS POSSIBLE NOBODY, BESIDES MYSELF, KNEW THIS EVEN HAPPENED. IF I HAD NOT CROSSED THE RWY AT THE RATE I DID IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT CONCLUSION. IT IS CLR THAT ATC WAS OVERLOADED. ALTHOUGH, I FEEL THE CTLR WORKING IS AMONG THE BEST THAT I HAVE WORKED WITH. THE DISTR OF HANDLING CLRNCS IS TIME CONSUMING AND I HAVE NOTICED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THAT THE LONE CTLR LOSES TRACK OF ACFT ON THE GND. IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO QUESTION THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS CASE. MY INSTINCTS WERE CORRECT IN THAT SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT. I AM THANKFUL I CROSSED THE RWY AT THE RATE THAT I DID. THE PROPER ACTIONS WOULD BE TO QUERY THE CTLR. I DID NOT FEEL IT WAS WISE TO DISTRACT ATC ANY MORE THAN NEEDED, SO NOTHING WAS SAID AFTER THE INCIDENT.

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.