Narrative:

I landed at sba about XA30 on nov/xa/98 on runway 15L. I then contacted ground control and explained 'unfamiliar' and requested 'progressive taxi' to FBO. ATC directed me via taxiway B to proceed and hold short of runway 25. After holding short at runway 25, I was then given rapid-fire instructions to proceed on 3 different txwys to FBO. I assumed that the controller was very busy and that's why he shot all the directions to me at once instead of making my turns 'progressive.' I even asked him to repeat the instructions a second time so I could try to write them down. Being a low time pilot, I got confused and instructions were coming at me very fast. I attempted to write them all down but apparently wrote the first turn incorrectly. I was directed to turn right onto taxiway H, then left onto taxiway J, then straight across taxiway nearest FBO. I wrote down 'left onto taxiway H.' this put me wbound on taxiway H and in my intensity looking for taxiway J, I did not notice that I had crossed over runway 15L without clearance to do so. The controller noticed my position, told me to 'stop' and do a 180 degree turn and proceed to cross back over runway 15L. At this time he began giving me progressive directions. I apologized for my error and proceeded as he guided me to the FBO. There were no further incidents or conversation with ATC regarding my error. I realize that I erred, and that it's my sole responsibility to fully understand (and verify) instructions given to me. And that if I do not fully understand that I am responsible to question the controller until I clearly understand what he has told me. I also realize the severity of the potential hazard that I created by crossing an active runway without clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF A C172 INADVERTENTLY CROSSED ACTIVE RWY DURING TAXI TO PARKING. HE HAD REQUESTED PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS SINCE HE WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT.

Narrative: I LANDED AT SBA ABOUT XA30 ON NOV/XA/98 ON RWY 15L. I THEN CONTACTED GND CTL AND EXPLAINED 'UNFAMILIAR' AND REQUESTED 'PROGRESSIVE TAXI' TO FBO. ATC DIRECTED ME VIA TXWY B TO PROCEED AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 25. AFTER HOLDING SHORT AT RWY 25, I WAS THEN GIVEN RAPID-FIRE INSTRUCTIONS TO PROCEED ON 3 DIFFERENT TXWYS TO FBO. I ASSUMED THAT THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY AND THAT'S WHY HE SHOT ALL THE DIRECTIONS TO ME AT ONCE INSTEAD OF MAKING MY TURNS 'PROGRESSIVE.' I EVEN ASKED HIM TO REPEAT THE INSTRUCTIONS A SECOND TIME SO I COULD TRY TO WRITE THEM DOWN. BEING A LOW TIME PLT, I GOT CONFUSED AND INSTRUCTIONS WERE COMING AT ME VERY FAST. I ATTEMPTED TO WRITE THEM ALL DOWN BUT APPARENTLY WROTE THE FIRST TURN INCORRECTLY. I WAS DIRECTED TO TURN R ONTO TXWY H, THEN L ONTO TXWY J, THEN STRAIGHT ACROSS TXWY NEAREST FBO. I WROTE DOWN 'L ONTO TXWY H.' THIS PUT ME WBOUND ON TXWY H AND IN MY INTENSITY LOOKING FOR TXWY J, I DID NOT NOTICE THAT I HAD CROSSED OVER RWY 15L WITHOUT CLRNC TO DO SO. THE CTLR NOTICED MY POS, TOLD ME TO 'STOP' AND DO A 180 DEG TURN AND PROCEED TO CROSS BACK OVER RWY 15L. AT THIS TIME HE BEGAN GIVING ME PROGRESSIVE DIRECTIONS. I APOLOGIZED FOR MY ERROR AND PROCEEDED AS HE GUIDED ME TO THE FBO. THERE WERE NO FURTHER INCIDENTS OR CONVERSATION WITH ATC REGARDING MY ERROR. I REALIZE THAT I ERRED, AND THAT IT'S MY SOLE RESPONSIBILITY TO FULLY UNDERSTAND (AND VERIFY) INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN TO ME. AND THAT IF I DO NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT I AM RESPONSIBLE TO QUESTION THE CTLR UNTIL I CLRLY UNDERSTAND WHAT HE HAS TOLD ME. I ALSO REALIZE THE SEVERITY OF THE POTENTIAL HAZARD THAT I CREATED BY XING AN ACTIVE RWY WITHOUT CLRNC.

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.