Narrative:

I was requested to divert from my planned return to home base (nashua) because another plane broke. I dropped the pilot and passenger (of the other aircraft) at lebanon. Being unfamiliar with the airport at night, I requested a progressive taxi to the active runway 18. The ground controller said 'turn left and proceed straight out to runway 18.' I proceeded as requested, seeing an aircraft taking the runway parallel to the taxiway I was on, I assumed that was the active runway 18. When I came to a crossing runway, I paused, looked both ways, then, remembering that a clearance to 'taxi to' auths the aircraft to 'cross' all crossing runways, proceeded to taxi across the runway to continue on the taxiway to the active, or so I thought. I didn't even get to the crossing runway before the controller came back on the air and berated me for crossing the hold line and told me to make a 180 degree turn, which I did, then he said 'not there, cross the runway and then make a 180 degree turn.' so, confused, I continued around in a 360 degree turn, cross the runway, made another 180 degree turn (on the other side of the hold line). I did my run-up and took the runway 18, which turned out to be the crossing runway -- not the parallel runway. Upon takeoff, the controller asked if I was local. I replied, 'negative, my home base is nashua.' upon climb out, the controller requested I call the tower upon landing, which I did. Obviously, I was wrong in crossing the hold line, but it was because of the way he had directed me. It was night and I knew I wouldn't be able to find my way around easily in the dark at an unfamiliar airport. Misunderstandings in communications can often lead to trouble. More familiarity at the airport would help too.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PLT HAS RWY INCURSION AT LEB.

Narrative: I WAS REQUESTED TO DIVERT FROM MY PLANNED RETURN TO HOME BASE (NASHUA) BECAUSE ANOTHER PLANE BROKE. I DROPPED THE PLT AND PAX (OF THE OTHER ACFT) AT LEBANON. BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT AT NIGHT, I REQUESTED A PROGRESSIVE TAXI TO THE ACTIVE RWY 18. THE GND CTLR SAID 'TURN L AND PROCEED STRAIGHT OUT TO RWY 18.' I PROCEEDED AS REQUESTED, SEEING AN ACFT TAKING THE RWY PARALLEL TO THE TXWY I WAS ON, I ASSUMED THAT WAS THE ACTIVE RWY 18. WHEN I CAME TO A XING RWY, I PAUSED, LOOKED BOTH WAYS, THEN, REMEMBERING THAT A CLRNC TO 'TAXI TO' AUTHS THE ACFT TO 'CROSS' ALL XING RWYS, PROCEEDED TO TAXI ACROSS THE RWY TO CONTINUE ON THE TXWY TO THE ACTIVE, OR SO I THOUGHT. I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO THE XING RWY BEFORE THE CTLR CAME BACK ON THE AIR AND BERATED ME FOR XING THE HOLD LINE AND TOLD ME TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN, WHICH I DID, THEN HE SAID 'NOT THERE, CROSS THE RWY AND THEN MAKE A 180 DEG TURN.' SO, CONFUSED, I CONTINUED AROUND IN A 360 DEG TURN, CROSS THE RWY, MADE ANOTHER 180 DEG TURN (ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HOLD LINE). I DID MY RUN-UP AND TOOK THE RWY 18, WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE THE XING RWY -- NOT THE PARALLEL RWY. UPON TKOF, THE CTLR ASKED IF I WAS LCL. I REPLIED, 'NEGATIVE, MY HOME BASE IS NASHUA.' UPON CLBOUT, THE CTLR REQUESTED I CALL THE TWR UPON LNDG, WHICH I DID. OBVIOUSLY, I WAS WRONG IN XING THE HOLD LINE, BUT IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE WAY HE HAD DIRECTED ME. IT WAS NIGHT AND I KNEW I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO FIND MY WAY AROUND EASILY IN THE DARK AT AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT. MISUNDERSTANDINGS IN COMS CAN OFTEN LEAD TO TROUBLE. MORE FAMILIARITY AT THE ARPT WOULD HELP TOO.

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.