An atx cargo pilot taxies across runway 30R without clearance at stl, mo.

Attributes
ACN	449970
Time
Date	199909
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 4700 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	449970
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At XA51 on sep/xa/99, I was cleared by ground control to taxi out of the ramp at stl. The clearance was to 'taxi to runway 30R, hold short runway 30R at taxiway right.' I exited the ramp and crossed runway 31 and then runway 30R at taxiway north. Once 1/2 way across runway 30R, the ground controller questioned what I was doing. Though he did not specifically say I was not cleared to cross the runway, his tone indicated so. There was no conflict with another aircraft. The controller then cleared me to 'taxi to runway 30R, full length,' which I did without incident. Since a taxiway doesn't lead to runway 30R at taxiway right on the northeast side of the runway, I believed I was cleared to cross runways 31 and 30R and to taxi to runway 30R at taxiway right via taxiway P. If the controller intended me to back taxi on runway 31, I believe more specific taxi instructions would have been prudent. In several thousands of hours of flight time, I have never back taxied down a runway to reach another runway without specific instructions to do so.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ATX CARGO PLT TAXIES ACROSS RWY 30R WITHOUT CLRNC AT STL, MO.

Narrative: AT XA51 ON SEP/XA/99, I WAS CLRED BY GND CTL TO TAXI OUT OF THE RAMP AT STL. THE CLRNC WAS TO 'TAXI TO RWY 30R, HOLD SHORT RWY 30R AT TXWY R.' I EXITED THE RAMP AND CROSSED RWY 31 AND THEN RWY 30R AT TXWY N. ONCE 1/2 WAY ACROSS RWY 30R, THE GND CTLR QUESTIONED WHAT I WAS DOING. THOUGH HE DID NOT SPECIFICALLY SAY I WAS NOT CLRED TO CROSS THE RWY, HIS TONE INDICATED SO. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT. THE CTLR THEN CLRED ME TO 'TAXI TO RWY 30R, FULL LENGTH,' WHICH I DID WITHOUT INCIDENT. SINCE A TXWY DOESN'T LEAD TO RWY 30R AT TXWY R ON THE NE SIDE OF THE RWY, I BELIEVED I WAS CLRED TO CROSS RWYS 31 AND 30R AND TO TAXI TO RWY 30R AT TXWY R VIA TXWY P. IF THE CTLR INTENDED ME TO BACK TAXI ON RWY 31, I BELIEVE MORE SPECIFIC TAXI INSTRUCTIONS WOULD HAVE BEEN PRUDENT. IN SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF HRS OF FLT TIME, I HAVE NEVER BACK TAXIED DOWN A RWY TO REACH ANOTHER RWY WITHOUT SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS TO DO SO.

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.