Narrative:

Simply not being told to hold short of the active runway which we were taxiing to. We (aircraft X) had to cross at a runway/taxiway intersection and then continue down another taxiway to the end of the active runway. We received these instructions, 'taxi to runway 17, intersection B.' we thought 'taxi to runway 17, via intersection B.' we did exactly that. Nowhere in the taxi clearance did we receive a 'hold short runway 17' instruction. That would've prevented the entire situation. Later, we were told it was implied to hold short at the intersection for an intersection departure. Instead of implication, why not just give a simple instruction? Ground control brought the incursion to our attention. We knew it was an active runway, either way as standard practice, I pointed out to my student, that is why you look both ways before taxiing onto or crossing a runway which we did. We had plenty of time to cross and did without any urgency. The approaching aircraft continued the approach and landed without mishap. We, by then, were taxiing down a parallel taxiway to the end of the active. No evasive action taken on either sides -- me, ATC, or the aircraft on final. I apologized for any unneeded excitement and something was learned on both sides -- pilot and ATC.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MHT GND CTLR ADVISES C152 TRAINING FLT THAT THEY CROSSED AN ACTIVE RWY WITHOUT CLRNC. PLT QUESTIONS GND CTLR'S CLRNC PHRASEOLOGY OF BEING 'IMPLIED.'

Narrative: SIMPLY NOT BEING TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF THE ACTIVE RWY WHICH WE WERE TAXIING TO. WE (ACFT X) HAD TO CROSS AT A RWY/TXWY INTXN AND THEN CONTINUE DOWN ANOTHER TXWY TO THE END OF THE ACTIVE RWY. WE RECEIVED THESE INSTRUCTIONS, 'TAXI TO RWY 17, INTXN B.' WE THOUGHT 'TAXI TO RWY 17, VIA INTXN B.' WE DID EXACTLY THAT. NOWHERE IN THE TAXI CLRNC DID WE RECEIVE A 'HOLD SHORT RWY 17' INSTRUCTION. THAT WOULD'VE PREVENTED THE ENTIRE SIT. LATER, WE WERE TOLD IT WAS IMPLIED TO HOLD SHORT AT THE INTXN FOR AN INTXN DEP. INSTEAD OF IMPLICATION, WHY NOT JUST GIVE A SIMPLE INSTRUCTION? GND CTL BROUGHT THE INCURSION TO OUR ATTN. WE KNEW IT WAS AN ACTIVE RWY, EITHER WAY AS STANDARD PRACTICE, I POINTED OUT TO MY STUDENT, THAT IS WHY YOU LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE TAXIING ONTO OR XING A RWY WHICH WE DID. WE HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO CROSS AND DID WITHOUT ANY URGENCY. THE APCHING ACFT CONTINUED THE APCH AND LANDED WITHOUT MISHAP. WE, BY THEN, WERE TAXIING DOWN A PARALLEL TXWY TO THE END OF THE ACTIVE. NO EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN ON EITHER SIDES -- ME, ATC, OR THE ACFT ON FINAL. I APOLOGIZED FOR ANY UNNEEDED EXCITEMENT AND SOMETHING WAS LEARNED ON BOTH SIDES -- PLT AND ATC.

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.