Narrative:

At reading, PA, airport, ATIS information indicated that runway 31 was in use, but other runways could be assigned. Since my destination (ptw) was only approximately 20 mi to the southeast (a 130 degree bearing from rdg), I requested from ground a taxi to runway 13 if available. The controller responded with '...taxi to runway 13.' I was located on the north ramp. I had a commercial airport diagram (opposite the ILS runway 36 approach) which indicated that I would have to cross runway 31/13 to get to the departure end of the runway. At a glance, I thought that taxiway C would take me all the way to the departure end of the runway. Since no 'hold short' instructions were given, I elected to proceed in this manner. Upon approaching runway 31/13 on taxiway C, I observed a king air departing runway 31 to my left, so I immediately hit the brakes, before the runway, but after the hold short markings. The king air lifted off greater than 2000 ft prior to my location and passed overhead at 300-500 plus ft, and I then proceeded to cross the runway. Once across, I observed the markings that showed me the assumed continuation of taxiway C was in fact an airport service road with a stop sign at the end. At that time, while clear of the runway and on the access road, the controller called and asked '...what are you doing?' after a brief discussion I was cleared to continue my taxi to runway 13 at my discretion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A COMMERCIAL INST PLT FLYING A PA28 AT RDG MISUNDERSTANDS THE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS ISSUED BY GND CTL RESULTING IN A RWY INCURSION.

Narrative: AT READING, PA, ARPT, ATIS INFO INDICATED THAT RWY 31 WAS IN USE, BUT OTHER RWYS COULD BE ASSIGNED. SINCE MY DEST (PTW) WAS ONLY APPROX 20 MI TO THE SE (A 130 DEG BEARING FROM RDG), I REQUESTED FROM GND A TAXI TO RWY 13 IF AVAILABLE. THE CTLR RESPONDED WITH '...TAXI TO RWY 13.' I WAS LOCATED ON THE N RAMP. I HAD A COMMERCIAL ARPT DIAGRAM (OPPOSITE THE ILS RWY 36 APCH) WHICH INDICATED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO CROSS RWY 31/13 TO GET TO THE DEP END OF THE RWY. AT A GLANCE, I THOUGHT THAT TXWY C WOULD TAKE ME ALL THE WAY TO THE DEP END OF THE RWY. SINCE NO 'HOLD SHORT' INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN, I ELECTED TO PROCEED IN THIS MANNER. UPON APCHING RWY 31/13 ON TXWY C, I OBSERVED A KING AIR DEPARTING RWY 31 TO MY L, SO I IMMEDIATELY HIT THE BRAKES, BEFORE THE RWY, BUT AFTER THE HOLD SHORT MARKINGS. THE KING AIR LIFTED OFF GREATER THAN 2000 FT PRIOR TO MY LOCATION AND PASSED OVERHEAD AT 300-500 PLUS FT, AND I THEN PROCEEDED TO CROSS THE RWY. ONCE ACROSS, I OBSERVED THE MARKINGS THAT SHOWED ME THE ASSUMED CONTINUATION OF TXWY C WAS IN FACT AN ARPT SVC ROAD WITH A STOP SIGN AT THE END. AT THAT TIME, WHILE CLR OF THE RWY AND ON THE ACCESS ROAD, THE CTLR CALLED AND ASKED '...WHAT ARE YOU DOING?' AFTER A BRIEF DISCUSSION I WAS CLRED TO CONTINUE MY TAXI TO RWY 13 AT MY DISCRETION.

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.