Narrative:

Ground controller cleared me to taxi to runway 32R for takeoff. Because the controller's attention was diverted to assisting a pilot who could not find the run-up area for runway 32L progressive instructions were not available. I positioned the aircraft in what I believed was the runup area for runway 32R, pointed the nose at the tower (270 degrees), activated the parking brake and started performing preflight/takeoff checklist. About 30-60 seconds into checklist, ground controller instructed me to immediately perform left turn and repos the aircraft due to 'possible pilot diversion into runway environment.' I immediately pulled forward, and did a 360 degree turn to the left, making it difficult to later ascertain precisely where any aircraft had been previously positioned. However, it appears my right wingtip (approximately 3-5 ft) may have extended over the runway boundary line. If so, the aircraft was still 90-100 ft away from the runway itself. The geometry of the runway boundary lines in relation to the taxiway and runup area is potentially confusing due to the oblique angles. (See diagram attached.) another potential factor was the 'split duties' of the ground controller, and 2 'runway' controllers. I was told by one controller the other was concerned he had cleared me onto runway due to me being potentially tuned to wrong frequency (ie, potentially talking to controller for runway 32L, not runway 32R). While no loss of separation or actual runway incursion occurred, another aircraft was ordered to go around.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT HAD RWY INCURSION AT CCR.

Narrative: GND CTLR CLRED ME TO TAXI TO RWY 32R FOR TKOF. BECAUSE THE CTLR'S ATTN WAS DIVERTED TO ASSISTING A PLT WHO COULD NOT FIND THE RUN-UP AREA FOR RWY 32L PROGRESSIVE INSTRUCTIONS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. I POSITIONED THE ACFT IN WHAT I BELIEVED WAS THE RUNUP AREA FOR RWY 32R, POINTED THE NOSE AT THE TWR (270 DEGS), ACTIVATED THE PARKING BRAKE AND STARTED PERFORMING PREFLT/TKOF CHKLIST. ABOUT 30-60 SECONDS INTO CHKLIST, GND CTLR INSTRUCTED ME TO IMMEDIATELY PERFORM L TURN AND REPOS THE ACFT DUE TO 'POSSIBLE PLT DIVERSION INTO RWY ENVIRONMENT.' I IMMEDIATELY PULLED FORWARD, AND DID A 360 DEG TURN TO THE L, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO LATER ASCERTAIN PRECISELY WHERE ANY ACFT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY POSITIONED. HOWEVER, IT APPEARS MY R WINGTIP (APPROX 3-5 FT) MAY HAVE EXTENDED OVER THE RWY BOUNDARY LINE. IF SO, THE ACFT WAS STILL 90-100 FT AWAY FROM THE RWY ITSELF. THE GEOMETRY OF THE RWY BOUNDARY LINES IN RELATION TO THE TXWY AND RUNUP AREA IS POTENTIALLY CONFUSING DUE TO THE OBLIQUE ANGLES. (SEE DIAGRAM ATTACHED.) ANOTHER POTENTIAL FACTOR WAS THE 'SPLIT DUTIES' OF THE GND CTLR, AND 2 'RWY' CTLRS. I WAS TOLD BY ONE CTLR THE OTHER WAS CONCERNED HE HAD CLRED ME ONTO RWY DUE TO ME BEING POTENTIALLY TUNED TO WRONG FREQ (IE, POTENTIALLY TALKING TO CTLR FOR RWY 32L, NOT RWY 32R). WHILE NO LOSS OF SEPARATION OR ACTUAL RWY INCURSION OCCURRED, ANOTHER ACFT WAS ORDERED TO GO AROUND.

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.