Narrative:

An MD80 aircraft was taxied to runway 34R at slc. Normally, this aircraft taxies from the south cargo ramp alongside of runway 34R. This time, however, the MD80 aircraft was parked on the east ramp across the field. The pilot knew he was in an unusual location and took the taxi instructions without question. Using the rule that an aircraft cleared to a runway can cross all runways en route to the assigned runway. MD80 crossed 2 active runways, even after seeing traffic on one of them (runway 35). This rule has to change -- for an aircraft to cross a runway, the aircraft should be given a specific instruction to cross that runway. The abuse of this rule I mentioned above causes many runway incursions. When the pilot saw traffic on runway 35, they should have questioned the instructions, not force the runway incursion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SLC CTLR RPTR AN INCIDENT WHICH DESCRIBES AN MD80 XING 2 RWYS TAXIING TO AN ASSIGNED RWY, ONE RWY WITH LNDG TFC.

Narrative: AN MD80 ACFT WAS TAXIED TO RWY 34R AT SLC. NORMALLY, THIS ACFT TAXIES FROM THE S CARGO RAMP ALONGSIDE OF RWY 34R. THIS TIME, HOWEVER, THE MD80 ACFT WAS PARKED ON THE E RAMP ACROSS THE FIELD. THE PLT KNEW HE WAS IN AN UNUSUAL LOCATION AND TOOK THE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS WITHOUT QUESTION. USING THE RULE THAT AN ACFT CLEARED TO A RWY CAN CROSS ALL RWYS ENRTE TO THE ASSIGNED RWY. MD80 CROSSED 2 ACTIVE RWYS, EVEN AFTER SEEING TFC ON ONE OF THEM (RWY 35). THIS RULE HAS TO CHANGE -- FOR AN ACFT TO CROSS A RWY, THE ACFT SHOULD BE GIVEN A SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION TO CROSS THAT RWY. THE ABUSE OF THIS RULE I MENTIONED ABOVE CAUSES MANY RWY INCURSIONS. WHEN THE PLT SAW TFC ON RWY 35, THEY SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED THE INSTRUCTIONS, NOT FORCE THE RWY INCURSION.

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.