A B732 crew mistook the active runway as a taxiway.

Attributes
ACN	512797
Time
Date	200104
Day	Tue
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pvd.airport
State Reference	RI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Weather Elements	Rain
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	controller military : 15 controller non radar : 16 controller radar : 15 flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 210
ASRS Report	512797
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft was cleared to taxi from ramp area to taxiway T (heading south), hold short of taxiway C. When another aircraft cleared, we were given instructions to taxi to runway 5R via txwys T, D, east, and south. We mistakenly turned onto taxiway C, thinking runway 5L was taxiway T. Ground control immediately cleared us to taxi via runway 5L to txwys D, east, south. No known conflict with other traffic. We never noticed the red runway signs for runway 5L.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B732 CREW MISTOOK THE ACTIVE RWY AS A TXWY.

Narrative: ACFT WAS CLRED TO TAXI FROM RAMP AREA TO TXWY T (HDG S), HOLD SHORT OF TXWY C. WHEN ANOTHER ACFT CLRED, WE WERE GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TO TAXI TO RWY 5R VIA TXWYS T, D, E, AND S. WE MISTAKENLY TURNED ONTO TXWY C, THINKING RWY 5L WAS TXWY T. GND CTL IMMEDIATELY CLRED US TO TAXI VIA RWY 5L TO TXWYS D, E, S. NO KNOWN CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC. WE NEVER NOTICED THE RED RWY SIGNS FOR RWY 5L.

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.