Narrative:

First officer landed aircraft on runway 17C. As I took control of aircraft near the turnoff point (taxiway M6) I noted 3 aircraft at txwys a and B holding short of runway 17R (between the runways). They also had landed recently, and were en route to their respective ramps. As we exited runway 17C, these aircraft had just been cleared to cross runway 17R, and were beginning to move. Tower cleared us to hold short of runway 17R at taxiway a. The first officer heard and correctly understood the clearance. I, on the other hand, heard what I expected to hear, a clearance to cross runway 17R at taxiway a right behind the other aircraft. In negotiating the turnoff, double checking the location of taxiway a, and noting the movement of the other aircraft, I'd missed not only the original clearance, but also the first officer's readback. I'm sure the first officer would have stopped me from crossing runway 17R if not for the following breakdown. As we exited runway 17C, I said 'ok, taxiway a,' to the first officer, and he said he'd check with ramp on radio #2 (about our ramp entry point and gate location) if I'd handle radio #1. As I proceeded to taxiway a, my ear mold radio headset jiggled loose from ear momentarily. As I readjusted it for just a couple of seconds (all the time, keeping my speed up to cross runway 17R). The first officer (as he spoke to ramp control on radio #2) noticed me putting my hand to my ear, and assumed that I was talking to tower, getting clearance to cross runway 17R, so he wasn't alarmed that I was crossing. As I approached the runway 17R, I looked to the right to ensure there were no aircraft on takeoff or landing roll. It was clear, and I crossed. As I did, tower noted and mentioned my mistake. There was never any conflict, or loss of separation, but the incident really got my attention. I contacted the tower controller by phone when we got to the ramp. He ensured me that my mistake hadn't caused any problems, and said that runway incursions had become a growing problem at dfw (with all the xings). Both the controller and my first officer did their jobs. The lapse was clearly mine. I have adopted a policy of having the first officer stay with me on radio #1 (not go to radio #2 and get ramp information) when between runways waiting to cross. I clearly could have used the backup in this case (especially at the end of 5 days of flying).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 FLC CROSSED A RWY WITHOUT CLRNC AT DFW.

Narrative: FO LANDED ACFT ON RWY 17C. AS I TOOK CTL OF ACFT NEAR THE TURNOFF POINT (TXWY M6) I NOTED 3 ACFT AT TXWYS A AND B HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 17R (BTWN THE RWYS). THEY ALSO HAD LANDED RECENTLY, AND WERE ENRTE TO THEIR RESPECTIVE RAMPS. AS WE EXITED RWY 17C, THESE ACFT HAD JUST BEEN CLRED TO CROSS RWY 17R, AND WERE BEGINNING TO MOVE. TWR CLRED US TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 17R AT TXWY A. THE FO HEARD AND CORRECTLY UNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC. I, ON THE OTHER HAND, HEARD WHAT I EXPECTED TO HEAR, A CLRNC TO CROSS RWY 17R AT TXWY A RIGHT BEHIND THE OTHER ACFT. IN NEGOTIATING THE TURNOFF, DOUBLE CHKING THE LOCATION OF TXWY A, AND NOTING THE MOVEMENT OF THE OTHER ACFT, I'D MISSED NOT ONLY THE ORIGINAL CLRNC, BUT ALSO THE FO'S READBACK. I'M SURE THE FO WOULD HAVE STOPPED ME FROM XING RWY 17R IF NOT FOR THE FOLLOWING BREAKDOWN. AS WE EXITED RWY 17C, I SAID 'OK, TXWY A,' TO THE FO, AND HE SAID HE'D CHK WITH RAMP ON RADIO #2 (ABOUT OUR RAMP ENTRY POINT AND GATE LOCATION) IF I'D HANDLE RADIO #1. AS I PROCEEDED TO TXWY A, MY EAR MOLD RADIO HEADSET JIGGLED LOOSE FROM EAR MOMENTARILY. AS I READJUSTED IT FOR JUST A COUPLE OF SECONDS (ALL THE TIME, KEEPING MY SPD UP TO CROSS RWY 17R). THE FO (AS HE SPOKE TO RAMP CTL ON RADIO #2) NOTICED ME PUTTING MY HAND TO MY EAR, AND ASSUMED THAT I WAS TALKING TO TWR, GETTING CLRNC TO CROSS RWY 17R, SO HE WASN'T ALARMED THAT I WAS XING. AS I APCHED THE RWY 17R, I LOOKED TO THE R TO ENSURE THERE WERE NO ACFT ON TKOF OR LNDG ROLL. IT WAS CLR, AND I CROSSED. AS I DID, TWR NOTED AND MENTIONED MY MISTAKE. THERE WAS NEVER ANY CONFLICT, OR LOSS OF SEPARATION, BUT THE INCIDENT REALLY GOT MY ATTN. I CONTACTED THE TWR CTLR BY PHONE WHEN WE GOT TO THE RAMP. HE ENSURED ME THAT MY MISTAKE HADN'T CAUSED ANY PROBS, AND SAID THAT RWY INCURSIONS HAD BECOME A GROWING PROB AT DFW (WITH ALL THE XINGS). BOTH THE CTLR AND MY FO DID THEIR JOBS. THE LAPSE WAS CLRLY MINE. I HAVE ADOPTED A POLICY OF HAVING THE FO STAY WITH ME ON RADIO #1 (NOT GO TO RADIO #2 AND GET RAMP INFO) WHEN BTWN RWYS WAITING TO CROSS. I CLRLY COULD HAVE USED THE BACKUP IN THIS CASE (ESPECIALLY AT THE END OF 5 DAYS OF FLYING).

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.