Narrative:

First flight of the day. We pushed from gate and were cleared to exit the ramp at taxiway T, turn right on taxiway Q and taxi to runway 9L. The captain was very experienced (30 yrs airline experience) and competent, and he was familiar with the airport. On top of that, he asked me to review my airport diagram and we agreed upon the taxi route before he moved the aircraft. Because of all of that caution, I was very comfortable that he knew where he was going. As he was exiting on taxiway T, he called for the taxi checklist. I am new to the aircraft (first trip after IOE) and put my head down to do the flows and pick up the checklist to read. When I looked up, he had passed taxiway Q and was about to enter onto runway 12/30. Startled, I said 'you are going to cross a runway?' in a half question, half statement tone of voice. He stated that we were cleared to taxi to the runway. At that moment ground called and said that we were entering a runway, to turn right on taxiway south and go to taxiway Q. He claimed that the strange angles of the txwys and the taxiway markers are what confused him, and I can see why in hindsight. I could have prevented this from happening. I should not have looked down until he made the critical turn, and I should have not diverted my attention for more than a few seconds at a time. Also, I looked up and realized that something was not right before he actually entered the runway. I could have said 'stop,' or even stopped the aircraft myself in time if I had reacted instantly. With 1 or 2 seconds of indecision, it was too late.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 FLC TAXIED UPON AN ACTIVE RWY WITHOUT CLRNC AT MIA.

Narrative: FIRST FLT OF THE DAY. WE PUSHED FROM GATE AND WERE CLRED TO EXIT THE RAMP AT TXWY T, TURN R ON TXWY Q AND TAXI TO RWY 9L. THE CAPT WAS VERY EXPERIENCED (30 YRS AIRLINE EXPERIENCE) AND COMPETENT, AND HE WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT. ON TOP OF THAT, HE ASKED ME TO REVIEW MY ARPT DIAGRAM AND WE AGREED UPON THE TAXI RTE BEFORE HE MOVED THE ACFT. BECAUSE OF ALL OF THAT CAUTION, I WAS VERY COMFORTABLE THAT HE KNEW WHERE HE WAS GOING. AS HE WAS EXITING ON TXWY T, HE CALLED FOR THE TAXI CHKLIST. I AM NEW TO THE ACFT (FIRST TRIP AFTER IOE) AND PUT MY HEAD DOWN TO DO THE FLOWS AND PICK UP THE CHKLIST TO READ. WHEN I LOOKED UP, HE HAD PASSED TXWY Q AND WAS ABOUT TO ENTER ONTO RWY 12/30. STARTLED, I SAID 'YOU ARE GOING TO CROSS A RWY?' IN A HALF QUESTION, HALF STATEMENT TONE OF VOICE. HE STATED THAT WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI TO THE RWY. AT THAT MOMENT GND CALLED AND SAID THAT WE WERE ENTERING A RWY, TO TURN R ON TXWY S AND GO TO TXWY Q. HE CLAIMED THAT THE STRANGE ANGLES OF THE TXWYS AND THE TXWY MARKERS ARE WHAT CONFUSED HIM, AND I CAN SEE WHY IN HINDSIGHT. I COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS FROM HAPPENING. I SHOULD NOT HAVE LOOKED DOWN UNTIL HE MADE THE CRITICAL TURN, AND I SHOULD HAVE NOT DIVERTED MY ATTN FOR MORE THAN A FEW SECONDS AT A TIME. ALSO, I LOOKED UP AND REALIZED THAT SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT BEFORE HE ACTUALLY ENTERED THE RWY. I COULD HAVE SAID 'STOP,' OR EVEN STOPPED THE ACFT MYSELF IN TIME IF I HAD REACTED INSTANTLY. WITH 1 OR 2 SECONDS OF INDECISION, IT WAS TOO LATE.

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.