Narrative:

I had just finished a 4 hour IFR flight from pompano beach, fl, to charleston, sc. The flight had been extremely difficult as it was turbulent, rainy and done mostly in IMC. I was very tired and very happy to be safely on the ground. I turned off at the first taxiway as instructed, and contacted ground. I received no answer and after several tries with no answer, was beginning to feel anxious. When the controller finally answered, he sounded distraction, explaining he had been on another line reporting a fire and then, both my passenger and I were sure we heard him say, '...cross runway 33 for now.' because I was tired and distraction myself, I didn't repeat back his instructions, but proceeded to cross runway 33. After I crossed the runway, I was told that I did not have clearance to do so. However, it should be noted that while I was taxiing toward runway 33 and across it, the controller did not contact me so I was very surprised when I heard from him after the crossing. I very rarely, if ever, do not read back instructions both in the air and on the ground, but did not do so this time. I believe this lapse was caused by a combination of tiredness and relief that I was finally on the ground and released from the pressure of the IMC environment. I will certainly be putting a placard on the panel, in plain sight, to remember to read back all instructions so I won't make the same mistake in the future.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIPER PA28-201 PLT CROSSES RWY AT CHS, SC, WITHOUT PROPER CLRNC.

Narrative: I HAD JUST FINISHED A 4 HR IFR FLT FROM POMPANO BEACH, FL, TO CHARLESTON, SC. THE FLT HAD BEEN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AS IT WAS TURBULENT, RAINY AND DONE MOSTLY IN IMC. I WAS VERY TIRED AND VERY HAPPY TO BE SAFELY ON THE GND. I TURNED OFF AT THE FIRST TXWY AS INSTRUCTED, AND CONTACTED GND. I RECEIVED NO ANSWER AND AFTER SEVERAL TRIES WITH NO ANSWER, WAS BEGINNING TO FEEL ANXIOUS. WHEN THE CTLR FINALLY ANSWERED, HE SOUNDED DISTR, EXPLAINING HE HAD BEEN ON ANOTHER LINE RPTING A FIRE AND THEN, BOTH MY PAX AND I WERE SURE WE HEARD HIM SAY, '...CROSS RWY 33 FOR NOW.' BECAUSE I WAS TIRED AND DISTR MYSELF, I DIDN'T REPEAT BACK HIS INSTRUCTIONS, BUT PROCEEDED TO CROSS RWY 33. AFTER I CROSSED THE RWY, I WAS TOLD THAT I DID NOT HAVE CLRNC TO DO SO. HOWEVER, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT WHILE I WAS TAXIING TOWARD RWY 33 AND ACROSS IT, THE CTLR DID NOT CONTACT ME SO I WAS VERY SURPRISED WHEN I HEARD FROM HIM AFTER THE XING. I VERY RARELY, IF EVER, DO NOT READ BACK INSTRUCTIONS BOTH IN THE AIR AND ON THE GND, BUT DID NOT DO SO THIS TIME. I BELIEVE THIS LAPSE WAS CAUSED BY A COMBINATION OF TIREDNESS AND RELIEF THAT I WAS FINALLY ON THE GND AND RELEASED FROM THE PRESSURE OF THE IMC ENVIRONMENT. I WILL CERTAINLY BE PUTTING A PLACARD ON THE PANEL, IN PLAIN SIGHT, TO REMEMBER TO READ BACK ALL INSTRUCTIONS SO I WON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE IN THE FUTURE.

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.