Narrative:

After switch from ord metering, received call from ground control to taxi to runway 14L, hold short taxiway C, the high-speed for runway 9L. The different confign of departures and arrs plus the taxi from air carrier gate lead me to believe that we would cross runway 9L to get to the north side of the field. When the controller said, 'cross now,' with an urgency in his tone, I checked final for runway 9L and proceeded to cross. The controller then continued with the clearance with via taxiway B and A6. I realized I went in the wrong direction and stopped the aircraft between runways 9L/27R and 4L/22R on taxiway C. The first officer called ground to get further taxi clearance from present position. Possible factors to runway incursion: 1) an unusual runway confign at ord, 2) failure on my part to confirm clearance with first officer and ground, 3) poor terminology for further taxi with 'cross now' by ground controller, and 4) a ground reference for hold short of/at taxiway C, which is an airport hotspot. Supplemental information from acn 560000: ground told us to expect runway 14L, taxi to high-speed runway 9L on taxiway H short taxiway C. Captain position aircraft on taxiway H, short of taxiway C, heading 320 degrees. I expected heading 270 degrees, but did not express concern. Too rapid a response to the urgent 'cross now' call from ord ground, aircrew failure to clarify that was to be crossed, poor directive communication/terminology use by ord ground, and my failure to express concern about the positioning of the aircraft on taxiway H, short of taxiway C, on a 320 degree vice 270 degree heading.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B733 CREW, TAXIING FOR TKOF AT ORD, MISINTERPRETED THEIR CLRNC, XING AN ACTIVE RWY.

Narrative: AFTER SWITCH FROM ORD METERING, RECEIVED CALL FROM GND CTL TO TAXI TO RWY 14L, HOLD SHORT TXWY C, THE HIGH-SPD FOR RWY 9L. THE DIFFERENT CONFIGN OF DEPS AND ARRS PLUS THE TAXI FROM ACR GATE LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD CROSS RWY 9L TO GET TO THE N SIDE OF THE FIELD. WHEN THE CTLR SAID, 'CROSS NOW,' WITH AN URGENCY IN HIS TONE, I CHKED FINAL FOR RWY 9L AND PROCEEDED TO CROSS. THE CTLR THEN CONTINUED WITH THE CLRNC WITH VIA TXWY B AND A6. I REALIZED I WENT IN THE WRONG DIRECTION AND STOPPED THE ACFT BTWN RWYS 9L/27R AND 4L/22R ON TXWY C. THE FO CALLED GND TO GET FURTHER TAXI CLRNC FROM PRESENT POS. POSSIBLE FACTORS TO RWY INCURSION: 1) AN UNUSUAL RWY CONFIGN AT ORD, 2) FAILURE ON MY PART TO CONFIRM CLRNC WITH FO AND GND, 3) POOR TERMINOLOGY FOR FURTHER TAXI WITH 'CROSS NOW' BY GND CTLR, AND 4) A GND REF FOR HOLD SHORT OF/AT TXWY C, WHICH IS AN ARPT HOTSPOT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 560000: GND TOLD US TO EXPECT RWY 14L, TAXI TO HIGH-SPD RWY 9L ON TXWY H SHORT TXWY C. CAPT POS ACFT ON TXWY H, SHORT OF TXWY C, HEADING 320 DEGS. I EXPECTED HEADING 270 DEGS, BUT DID NOT EXPRESS CONCERN. TOO RAPID A RESPONSE TO THE URGENT 'CROSS NOW' CALL FROM ORD GND, AIRCREW FAILURE TO CLARIFY THAT WAS TO BE CROSSED, POOR DIRECTIVE COM/TERMINOLOGY USE BY ORD GND, AND MY FAILURE TO EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT THE POSITIONING OF THE ACFT ON TXWY H, SHORT OF TXWY C, ON A 320 DEG VICE 270 DEG HDG.

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.