Narrative:

Runway 26R at cdg airport closed for resurfacing. Received clearance to 'taxi to runway 26L via taxiway T, taxiway W9,' which we acknowledged. Taxiway W9 was a corridor across the closed runway, with construction on both sides. Approaching taxiway W9, we asked if we should switch to tower frequency and were told to remain with ground. An airbus directly in front of us was holding short of the closed runway, which prompted a discussion in our cockpit as to why he was holding short of an obviously closed and unusable runway. Shortly thereafter, he taxied across runway 26R without any clearance that we overheard (possible because he had already switched to tower without our knowledge) and we followed him across. Cdg ground informed us after crossing the closed runway that we should have waited for clearance from him. It is our understanding that the initial taxi clearance, which gave specific routing and included no hold short instructions, allowed us to cross the closed runway. However, there was enough doubt after being mildly chastised by ground control, that we decided to as soon as possible the event. Supplemental information from acn 556694: approaching taxiway W9 on taxiway T, we asked ground if we should switch to tower. Ground said 'remain with ground.' an airbus directly in front of us was holding short of runway 26R which prompted a discussion in the cockpit as to why he was holding short. Shortly thereafter, he crossed without any clearance we heard (we followed him in sequence). As we approached runway 26R we noticed a yellow sign saying 'do not block runway 26R.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767 CREW, TAXIING FOR TKOF AT PARIS (LFPG) CROSSED A RWY THAT WAS CLOSED DUE TO CONSTRUCTION.

Narrative: RWY 26R AT CDG ARPT CLOSED FOR RESURFACING. RECEIVED CLRNC TO 'TAXI TO RWY 26L VIA TXWY T, TXWY W9,' WHICH WE ACKNOWLEDGED. TXWY W9 WAS A CORRIDOR ACROSS THE CLOSED RWY, WITH CONSTRUCTION ON BOTH SIDES. APCHING TXWY W9, WE ASKED IF WE SHOULD SWITCH TO TWR FREQ AND WERE TOLD TO REMAIN WITH GND. AN AIRBUS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US WAS HOLDING SHORT OF THE CLOSED RWY, WHICH PROMPTED A DISCUSSION IN OUR COCKPIT AS TO WHY HE WAS HOLDING SHORT OF AN OBVIOUSLY CLOSED AND UNUSABLE RWY. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE TAXIED ACROSS RWY 26R WITHOUT ANY CLRNC THAT WE OVERHEARD (POSSIBLE BECAUSE HE HAD ALREADY SWITCHED TO TWR WITHOUT OUR KNOWLEDGE) AND WE FOLLOWED HIM ACROSS. CDG GND INFORMED US AFTER XING THE CLOSED RWY THAT WE SHOULD HAVE WAITED FOR CLRNC FROM HIM. IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THE INITIAL TAXI CLRNC, WHICH GAVE SPECIFIC ROUTING AND INCLUDED NO HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTIONS, ALLOWED US TO CROSS THE CLOSED RWY. HOWEVER, THERE WAS ENOUGH DOUBT AFTER BEING MILDLY CHASTISED BY GND CTL, THAT WE DECIDED TO ASAP THE EVENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 556694: APCHING TXWY W9 ON TXWY T, WE ASKED GND IF WE SHOULD SWITCH TO TWR. GND SAID 'REMAIN WITH GND.' AN AIRBUS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US WAS HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 26R WHICH PROMPTED A DISCUSSION IN THE COCKPIT AS TO WHY HE WAS HOLDING SHORT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE CROSSED WITHOUT ANY CLRNC WE HEARD (WE FOLLOWED HIM IN SEQUENCE). AS WE APCHED RWY 26R WE NOTICED A YELLOW SIGN SAYING 'DO NOT BLOCK RWY 26R.'

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.