Narrative:

Taxiing for takeoff for a flight from lfmn to limj, we received clearance to taxi to and hold short at holding point C1, near the approach end of runway 4L, the active landing runway. Upon reaching and stopping at the holding point, I thought ground said 'north-number, cross the runway and contact tower 118.7.' I now think they said, 'north-number, 'to' cross the runway, contact tower 118.7.' after crossing and switching, tower informed us we did not have clearance to cross runway 4L. After being cleared to line up and wait on runway 4R, tower informed us they listened to the tape and we did not have clearance to cross runway 4L. I explained what I thought I heard and what I surmised was actually said and tower said ok. Factors affecting the quality of human performance: it was friday morning after arriving in nice wednesday morning on an all-night flight with a 6 hour time zone change. It was very warm in the cockpit and I was very sweaty. It took 2 or 3 tries to understand the ATC clearance because of the difficulty understanding the controller's english. The taxi route was, however, very clear to me and I thought I was beginning to understand his accent. I believe the real cause of the problem was we took an action without both of us being absolutely positive of the instructions. I never thought that I would have been involved in such an occurrence because I think of myself and the other pilots assigned to this aircraft as exceptional team players. It could have easily been prevented because we were on the ground where no action had to be taken until we were both sure of the instructions. I think the fact that this event occurred will prevent a recurrence for this crew. For other crews, a recurrence can be prevented if, at recurrent and other training events, crews are reminded of the basics. Both pilots should be sure of the instructions before they are carried out. Utilize standard terminology, especially at foreign airports.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MLG CREW, TAXIING FOR TKOF AT NICE, FRANCE (LFMN) MISINTERPED THE CLRNC AND TAXIED ACROSS A PARALLEL RWY.

Narrative: TAXIING FOR TKOF FOR A FLT FROM LFMN TO LIMJ, WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO TAXI TO AND HOLD SHORT AT HOLDING POINT C1, NEAR THE APCH END OF RWY 4L, THE ACTIVE LNDG RWY. UPON REACHING AND STOPPING AT THE HOLDING POINT, I THOUGHT GND SAID 'N-NUMBER, CROSS THE RWY AND CONTACT TWR 118.7.' I NOW THINK THEY SAID, 'N-NUMBER, 'TO' CROSS THE RWY, CONTACT TWR 118.7.' AFTER XING AND SWITCHING, TWR INFORMED US WE DID NOT HAVE CLRNC TO CROSS RWY 4L. AFTER BEING CLRED TO LINE UP AND WAIT ON RWY 4R, TWR INFORMED US THEY LISTENED TO THE TAPE AND WE DID NOT HAVE CLRNC TO CROSS RWY 4L. I EXPLAINED WHAT I THOUGHT I HEARD AND WHAT I SURMISED WAS ACTUALLY SAID AND TWR SAID OK. FACTORS AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE: IT WAS FRIDAY MORNING AFTER ARRIVING IN NICE WEDNESDAY MORNING ON AN ALL-NIGHT FLT WITH A 6 HR TIME ZONE CHANGE. IT WAS VERY WARM IN THE COCKPIT AND I WAS VERY SWEATY. IT TOOK 2 OR 3 TRIES TO UNDERSTAND THE ATC CLRNC BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING THE CTLR'S ENGLISH. THE TAXI RTE WAS, HOWEVER, VERY CLR TO ME AND I THOUGHT I WAS BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND HIS ACCENT. I BELIEVE THE REAL CAUSE OF THE PROB WAS WE TOOK AN ACTION WITHOUT BOTH OF US BEING ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE OF THE INSTRUCTIONS. I NEVER THOUGHT THAT I WOULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN SUCH AN OCCURRENCE BECAUSE I THINK OF MYSELF AND THE OTHER PLTS ASSIGNED TO THIS ACFT AS EXCEPTIONAL TEAM PLAYERS. IT COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN PREVENTED BECAUSE WE WERE ON THE GND WHERE NO ACTION HAD TO BE TAKEN UNTIL WE WERE BOTH SURE OF THE INSTRUCTIONS. I THINK THE FACT THAT THIS EVENT OCCURRED WILL PREVENT A RECURRENCE FOR THIS CREW. FOR OTHER CREWS, A RECURRENCE CAN BE PREVENTED IF, AT RECURRENT AND OTHER TRAINING EVENTS, CREWS ARE REMINDED OF THE BASICS. BOTH PLTS SHOULD BE SURE OF THE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE THEY ARE CARRIED OUT. UTILIZE STANDARD TERMINOLOGY, ESPECIALLY AT FOREIGN ARPTS.

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.