A BA3200 commuter captain taxies his aircraft across a non active runway when following a preceding ...

Attributes
ACN	479070
Time
Date	200007
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dca.tower
Make Model Name	Jetstream 32
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 119
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : clt.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 16000
ASRS Report	479070
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Clt ramp controller cleared flight to taxi to spot X for runway 36R departure. Upon reaching spot X, there were 4 other aircraft waiting for ground to give taxi instructions and sequence to spot. Ramp control, seeing the aircraft starting to back up, proceeded to sequence the aircraft 'which is a function.' flying with a new first officer we heard our flight number 'follow the B737 to runway 36R.' after resolving a conflict on radio #2, I asked 'did ground clear us behind the B737?.' his response was yes we are to follow the silver top B737. We proceeded to cross runway 5/23, which was inactive, and we got a call from the tower to 'contact ground, they're looking for you.' my response was to ask if he actually contacted ground. His response was yes. After contacting ground, he responded '...you are cleared to runway 36R, continue, you have ATIS.' thinking nothing further, we taxied to the active for departure. After speaking with the tower through ground communications, we discussed the confusion and he agreed that ramp should not respond by telling an aircraft to follow anyone to any active runway. Their responsibility is and should be limited to the spots on the ramp and not the runway. As a pilot, I am fully aware of what runway follows what spot. Limiting ramp's response to taxi to certain spots on the ramp would cut down on a lot of confusion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BA3200 COMMUTER CAPT TAXIES HIS ACFT ACROSS A NON ACTIVE RWY WHEN FOLLOWING A PRECEDING B737. CREW HAD NOT CALLED GND CTLR BUT WERE PROCEEDING ON INSTRUCTIONS ISSUED BY A COMPANY RAMP CTLR AT CLT, NC.

Narrative: CLT RAMP CTLR CLRED FLT TO TAXI TO SPOT X FOR RWY 36R DEP. UPON REACHING SPOT X, THERE WERE 4 OTHER ACFT WAITING FOR GND TO GIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS AND SEQUENCE TO SPOT. RAMP CTL, SEEING THE ACFT STARTING TO BACK UP, PROCEEDED TO SEQUENCE THE ACFT 'WHICH IS A FUNCTION.' FLYING WITH A NEW FO WE HEARD OUR FLT NUMBER 'FOLLOW THE B737 TO RWY 36R.' AFTER RESOLVING A CONFLICT ON RADIO #2, I ASKED 'DID GND CLR US BEHIND THE B737?.' HIS RESPONSE WAS YES WE ARE TO FOLLOW THE SILVER TOP B737. WE PROCEEDED TO CROSS RWY 5/23, WHICH WAS INACTIVE, AND WE GOT A CALL FROM THE TWR TO 'CONTACT GND, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR YOU.' MY RESPONSE WAS TO ASK IF HE ACTUALLY CONTACTED GND. HIS RESPONSE WAS YES. AFTER CONTACTING GND, HE RESPONDED '...YOU ARE CLRED TO RWY 36R, CONTINUE, YOU HAVE ATIS.' THINKING NOTHING FURTHER, WE TAXIED TO THE ACTIVE FOR DEP. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE TWR THROUGH GND COMS, WE DISCUSSED THE CONFUSION AND HE AGREED THAT RAMP SHOULD NOT RESPOND BY TELLING AN ACFT TO FOLLOW ANYONE TO ANY ACTIVE RWY. THEIR RESPONSIBILITY IS AND SHOULD BE LIMITED TO THE SPOTS ON THE RAMP AND NOT THE RWY. AS A PLT, I AM FULLY AWARE OF WHAT RWY FOLLOWS WHAT SPOT. LIMITING RAMP'S RESPONSE TO TAXI TO CERTAIN SPOTS ON THE RAMP WOULD CUT DOWN ON A LOT OF CONFUSION.

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.

A BA3200 commuter captain taxies his aircraft across a non active runway when following a preceding B737. Crew had not called ground controller but were proceeding on instructions issued by a company ramp controller at clt, nc.