An MD80 crew during taxi for takeoff at dtw, taxied onto active runway without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	497961
Time
Date	200101
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cle.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dvt.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
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 : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	497961
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Taxiing for takeoff at night to runway 23L at cle. First takeoff on this runway since I became a captain and started 'driving' the aircraft. I became confused about what was runway and what was taxiway, and what was paved and what wasn't. I suddenly realized I was taxiing onto runway 23L without clearance. I stopped as quickly as possible, but the aircraft nose was probably over the runway edge line. I directed the first officer to call tower and tell them we were ready. Tower cleared us for takeoff without comment. There was no conflict with other traffic. In fact, we were probably the only aircraft moving in the area, air or ground. Company publishes a warning about the confusing runway confign at cleveland, but even a warning didn't prevent a big mistake. Factors: 1) using runway 28 for taxi to runway 23L. Usual taxiway lights and markings are not present. Tough to figure out. 2) darkness. 3) no aircraft to follow. 4) captain's (me) inexperience. About 280 hours as captain. 5) simple lack of familiarity. 6) it's just a very confusing runway confign. Sometimes, even going slow and studying the map are not enough. Still, I can't think of anything better.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CREW DURING TAXI FOR TKOF AT DTW, TAXIED ONTO ACTIVE RWY WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: TAXIING FOR TKOF AT NIGHT TO RWY 23L AT CLE. FIRST TKOF ON THIS RWY SINCE I BECAME A CAPT AND STARTED 'DRIVING' THE ACFT. I BECAME CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT WAS RWY AND WHAT WAS TXWY, AND WHAT WAS PAVED AND WHAT WASN'T. I SUDDENLY REALIZED I WAS TAXIING ONTO RWY 23L WITHOUT CLRNC. I STOPPED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT THE ACFT NOSE WAS PROBABLY OVER THE RWY EDGE LINE. I DIRECTED THE FO TO CALL TWR AND TELL THEM WE WERE READY. TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF WITHOUT COMMENT. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC. IN FACT, WE WERE PROBABLY THE ONLY ACFT MOVING IN THE AREA, AIR OR GND. COMPANY PUBLISHES A WARNING ABOUT THE CONFUSING RWY CONFIGN AT CLEVELAND, BUT EVEN A WARNING DIDN'T PREVENT A BIG MISTAKE. FACTORS: 1) USING RWY 28 FOR TAXI TO RWY 23L. USUAL TXWY LIGHTS AND MARKINGS ARE NOT PRESENT. TOUGH TO FIGURE OUT. 2) DARKNESS. 3) NO ACFT TO FOLLOW. 4) CAPT'S (ME) INEXPERIENCE. ABOUT 280 HRS AS CAPT. 5) SIMPLE LACK OF FAMILIARITY. 6) IT'S JUST A VERY CONFUSING RWY CONFIGN. SOMETIMES, EVEN GOING SLOW AND STUDYING THE MAP ARE NOT ENOUGH. STILL, I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING BETTER.

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.