Narrative:

Special aircraft was cleared to taxi to runway 24 at taxiway G. While holding short at taxiway G, a partially blocked position and hold clearance was given for runway 24. To be sure the clearance was for us, the first officer replied 'position and hold, runway 24, aircraft X.' we proceeded to take the runway. Looking off to my left, an airliner (possibly a B747 or a B757 and was also positioning for takeoff. With an aircraft on final approach (approximately 2 mi) and an air carrier flight positioning for takeoff, there was obviously missed or blocked xmissions by the tower and/or pilots. For the best interest of safety, we proceeded to cross the runway to avoid any jetblast from airlines, or the aircraft on final approach having to do a go around. After crossing the runway, I (the captain) notified the tower and said we went ahead and crossed runway 24, thinking he had seen the conflict. He responded 'I see that.' it may have appeared to the tower that we crossed without thinking we had authority/authorized. But possibly due to radio congestion and him working ground and tower operations he must not have realized it. We then, because of the narrow taxiway, asked for a takeoff clearance for runway 18. The tower issued a clearance and the incident was over. Several days later a pilot deviation/runway incursion report was filed and the FAA is investigating. I feel that there was numerous blocked radio xmissions and both pilots and controllers should have queried each other more thoroughly. Due to his heavy workload and our aircraft priority status, this incident may have not ever happened. I think overall the action taken to exit the runway immediately was in the best interest of safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMT ACFT AT BHM STARTED INTO POS AND HOLD, BUT REALIZED CLRNC WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT AND TAXIED ACROSS THE RWY TO THE OTHER SIDE.

Narrative: SPECIAL ACFT WAS CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 24 AT TXWY G. WHILE HOLDING SHORT AT TXWY G, A PARTIALLY BLOCKED POS AND HOLD CLRNC WAS GIVEN FOR RWY 24. TO BE SURE THE CLRNC WAS FOR US, THE FO REPLIED 'POS AND HOLD, RWY 24, ACFT X.' WE PROCEEDED TO TAKE THE RWY. LOOKING OFF TO MY L, AN AIRLINER (POSSIBLY A B747 OR A B757 AND WAS ALSO POSITIONING FOR TKOF. WITH AN ACFT ON FINAL APCH (APPROX 2 MI) AND AN ACR FLT POSITIONING FOR TKOF, THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY MISSED OR BLOCKED XMISSIONS BY THE TWR AND/OR PLTS. FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF SAFETY, WE PROCEEDED TO CROSS THE RWY TO AVOID ANY JETBLAST FROM AIRLINES, OR THE ACFT ON FINAL APCH HAVING TO DO A GAR. AFTER XING THE RWY, I (THE CAPT) NOTIFIED THE TWR AND SAID WE WENT AHEAD AND CROSSED RWY 24, THINKING HE HAD SEEN THE CONFLICT. HE RESPONDED 'I SEE THAT.' IT MAY HAVE APPEARED TO THE TWR THAT WE CROSSED WITHOUT THINKING WE HAD AUTH. BUT POSSIBLY DUE TO RADIO CONGESTION AND HIM WORKING GND AND TWR OPS HE MUST NOT HAVE REALIZED IT. WE THEN, BECAUSE OF THE NARROW TXWY, ASKED FOR A TKOF CLRNC FOR RWY 18. THE TWR ISSUED A CLRNC AND THE INCIDENT WAS OVER. SEVERAL DAYS LATER A PLTDEV/RWY INCURSION RPT WAS FILED AND THE FAA IS INVESTIGATING. I FEEL THAT THERE WAS NUMEROUS BLOCKED RADIO XMISSIONS AND BOTH PLTS AND CTLRS SHOULD HAVE QUERIED EACH OTHER MORE THOROUGHLY. DUE TO HIS HVY WORKLOAD AND OUR ACFT PRIORITY STATUS, THIS INCIDENT MAY HAVE NOT EVER HAPPENED. I THINK OVERALL THE ACTION TAKEN TO EXIT THE RWY IMMEDIATELY WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF SAFETY.

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.