Narrative:

Flight XXX departed the gate for midland, tx. Ground control issued the clearance, 'standard taxi, runway 36R, intersection B.' the tower controller cleared us across runway 36R on taxiway B to hold short of runway 36L. After several aircraft landed, the controller issued a clearance to position and hold runway 36L. The call sign was blocked but we were the only aircraft able to taxi onto runway 36L. With landing traffic clearing the runway and final approach traffic 3 mi out, we accepted the clearance as a question, ie, 'confirm position and hold runway 36L for air carrier XXX.' no response. We taxied onto runway 36L and prepared for an immediate departure. Before we 'lined up' on the centerline, the controller told us to expedite across runway 36L and taxi to runway 31L. No aircraft had to take any evasive maneuvers, including us. It is not uncommon during peak traffic that the controllers are unable to answer every question. Many times the crew members take it upon themselves to evaluate the safety of the situation and without an acknowledgement from the controller will make presumptions. It is my opinion that the frequency congestion and our attempt to 'expedite' traffic flow by not getting a confirmation from the controller, resulted in this runway incursion. As a side note, the aircraft behind us heard the same 'position and hold' clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN SF340 IS INSTRUCTED TO TAXI ACROSS RWY 36R TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 36L. THEY HEAR A CLRNC TO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 36L BUT ARE NOT SURE OF THE IDENT. WHEN QUERIED, ATC DOES NOT RESPOND. TAXIING INTO POS AND HOLD THE FLC IS TOLD TO EXPEDITE OFF THE RWY AND TAXI TO RWY 31L.

Narrative: FLT XXX DEPARTED THE GATE FOR MIDLAND, TX. GND CTL ISSUED THE CLRNC, 'STANDARD TAXI, RWY 36R, INTXN B.' THE TWR CTLR CLRED US ACROSS RWY 36R ON TXWY B TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 36L. AFTER SEVERAL ACFT LANDED, THE CTLR ISSUED A CLRNC TO POS AND HOLD RWY 36L. THE CALL SIGN WAS BLOCKED BUT WE WERE THE ONLY ACFT ABLE TO TAXI ONTO RWY 36L. WITH LNDG TFC CLRING THE RWY AND FINAL APCH TFC 3 MI OUT, WE ACCEPTED THE CLRNC AS A QUESTION, IE, 'CONFIRM POS AND HOLD RWY 36L FOR ACR XXX.' NO RESPONSE. WE TAXIED ONTO RWY 36L AND PREPARED FOR AN IMMEDIATE DEP. BEFORE WE 'LINED UP' ON THE CTRLINE, THE CTLR TOLD US TO EXPEDITE ACROSS RWY 36L AND TAXI TO RWY 31L. NO ACFT HAD TO TAKE ANY EVASIVE MANEUVERS, INCLUDING US. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON DURING PEAK TFC THAT THE CTLRS ARE UNABLE TO ANSWER EVERY QUESTION. MANY TIMES THE CREW MEMBERS TAKE IT UPON THEMSELVES TO EVALUATE THE SAFETY OF THE SIT AND WITHOUT AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM THE CTLR WILL MAKE PRESUMPTIONS. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE FREQ CONGESTION AND OUR ATTEMPT TO 'EXPEDITE' TFC FLOW BY NOT GETTING A CONFIRMATION FROM THE CTLR, RESULTED IN THIS RWY INCURSION. AS A SIDE NOTE, THE ACFT BEHIND US HEARD THE SAME 'POS AND HOLD' 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.