With a 'taxi to' clearance, a runway is crossed that the controller does not expect at meridian, ms.

Attributes
ACN	481092
Time
Date	200007
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mei.airport
State Reference	MS
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lgb.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
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 last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	481092
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were cleared to taxi to runway 1 by the ground controller. Having been into mei a couple of times recently at night (after tower closing) we took the taxi route most familiar to us. This taxi route takes us across runway 4/22 and then a left turn to parallel runway 1. While there is an alternate route which does not cross a runway, this seemed the easiest because it is straight out from our parking ramp. Since we were cleared to taxi to runway 1 without more specific instructions we assumed we were cleared to cross everything between us and runway 1. That is my understanding per the aim. The ground controller said we should not have crossed because there was a route we could take that did not involve a crossing. While that is true, I did not know we had to take a specific route with an unspecific clearance. I went through the aim and could not find anything stating I have to take a specific route. Maybe when there is more than 1 way to taxi to a runway, the controller should state which they prefer. There are many variables which can affect your decision to take one taxi route over another. Surface congestion and condition to name a couple. The controller may not be thinking or considering the same things as you leading to a different expectation. The taxi to clearance seems too much of a gray area that is vulnerable to different interps.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WITH A 'TAXI TO' CLRNC, A RWY IS CROSSED THAT THE CTLR DOES NOT EXPECT AT MERIDIAN, MS.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 1 BY THE GND CTLR. HAVING BEEN INTO MEI A COUPLE OF TIMES RECENTLY AT NIGHT (AFTER TWR CLOSING) WE TOOK THE TAXI RTE MOST FAMILIAR TO US. THIS TAXI RTE TAKES US ACROSS RWY 4/22 AND THEN A L TURN TO PARALLEL RWY 1. WHILE THERE IS AN ALTERNATE RTE WHICH DOES NOT CROSS A RWY, THIS SEEMED THE EASIEST BECAUSE IT IS STRAIGHT OUT FROM OUR PARKING RAMP. SINCE WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 1 WITHOUT MORE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS WE ASSUMED WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS EVERYTHING BTWN US AND RWY 1. THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING PER THE AIM. THE GND CTLR SAID WE SHOULD NOT HAVE CROSSED BECAUSE THERE WAS A RTE WE COULD TAKE THAT DID NOT INVOLVE A XING. WHILE THAT IS TRUE, I DID NOT KNOW WE HAD TO TAKE A SPECIFIC RTE WITH AN UNSPECIFIC CLRNC. I WENT THROUGH THE AIM AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING STATING I HAVE TO TAKE A SPECIFIC RTE. MAYBE WHEN THERE IS MORE THAN 1 WAY TO TAXI TO A RWY, THE CTLR SHOULD STATE WHICH THEY PREFER. THERE ARE MANY VARIABLES WHICH CAN AFFECT YOUR DECISION TO TAKE ONE TAXI RTE OVER ANOTHER. SURFACE CONGESTION AND CONDITION TO NAME A COUPLE. THE CTLR MAY NOT BE THINKING OR CONSIDERING THE SAME THINGS AS YOU LEADING TO A DIFFERENT EXPECTATION. THE TAXI TO CLRNC SEEMS TOO MUCH OF A GRAY AREA THAT IS VULNERABLE TO DIFFERENT INTERPS.

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.