Student pilot taxied across runway without clearance assuming the tower was still closed in the earl...

Attributes
ACN	538932
Time
Date	200202
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : apf.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	538932
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Student pilot taxied across runway thinking tower was closed without authority/authorized. Contributing factor was intercom system were malfunctioning and rapid xmissions received from tower were unheard. The problem here is that student/applicant and other crew assumed the tower was still closed. When the applicant was questioning as to whether he was getting clearance, it was assumed he was. All the while the copilot intercom was not working and this could not be controled. Do not assume anything! When in doubt -- stop!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT TAXIED ACROSS RWY WITHOUT CLRNC ASSUMING THE TWR WAS STILL CLOSED IN THE EARLY MORNING HRS.

Narrative: STUDENT PLT TAXIED ACROSS RWY THINKING TWR WAS CLOSED WITHOUT AUTH. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS INTERCOM SYS WERE MALFUNCTIONING AND RAPID XMISSIONS RECEIVED FROM TWR WERE UNHEARD. THE PROB HERE IS THAT STUDENT/APPLICANT AND OTHER CREW ASSUMED THE TWR WAS STILL CLOSED. WHEN THE APPLICANT WAS QUESTIONING AS TO WHETHER HE WAS GETTING CLRNC, IT WAS ASSUMED HE WAS. ALL THE WHILE THE COPLT INTERCOM WAS NOT WORKING AND THIS COULD NOT BE CTLED. DO NOT ASSUME ANYTHING! WHEN IN DOUBT -- STOP!

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.

Student pilot taxied across runway without clearance assuming the tower was still closed in the early morning hours.