Narrative:

My initial position was on the parking ramp in front of the control tower just off taxiway B. I monitored ATIS and was aware that the actives were runway 2R and runway 34. I contacted pdk ground and requested to taxi to the north ramp. I was given clearance to cross runway 34 and proceeded to the north ramp without incident. I picked up a passenger at the north ramp, contacted pdk ground control and stated I needed a VFR northeast departure. Pdk ground issued 'taxi to runway 34, hold short at taxiway H, hold short of runway 24.' I proceeded to taxi via taxiway D with the understanding of holding short of runway 34 at taxiway H. Pdk ground ordered me to stop, stating that I did not have clearance to cross runway 34. I stated that I was holding short 'of' runway 34 'at' taxiway H. Pdk ground stated that I was instructed to hold short 'of' taxiway H and ordered me to turn around and make a left turn and hold short 'of' taxiway H. A jet was approaching from my left on taxiway a. The jet was cleared to cross runway 34. Pdk ground gave me directions to continue my taxi. No further routing or instructions were given. I stated 'XXX to cross runway 34 at taxiway H, and hold short of runway 24.' pdk ground did not challenge my routing. I taxied across runway 34 at taxiway H. After crossing runway 34, pdk ground questioned about my position. I confirmed my position and was told I was never authority/authorized to cross runway 34 and to contact tower when I returned. I was later told to taxi to the ramp and meet a tower supervisor. I met with the supervisor. He stated that he would review the tapes and contact me if I was under any action. He did not call me, so I called him the next day. He stated that I had repeated the clrncs correctly but was not cleared to cross runway 34. He said that I did state my intentions of crossing. Since the pdk ground controller did not challenge the routing, there was no further action needed from me. Contributing factors: ground used the words hold short 'at' instead of using hold short 'of.' to me, this implied that the controller wanted for me to return the same direction I was just recently cleared. It was very busy, there was a lot of light and medium size aircraft traffic using the 2 active runways and txwys, and the ground controller was very busy providing clrncs. I am sure the heavy volume of traffic played a role. The controller did not respond to my routing readback, possibly due to the volume he was controling. Remedial actions: I have reviewed the aim sections, specifically 'taxiing,' and 'taxi clearance.' I have completed the AOPA air safety foundation runway safety program and consulted 2 CFI's for understanding of taxi clrncs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C172 CROSSED RWY WITHOUT A CLRNC AT PDK DUE TO AMBIGUOUS CLRNCS FROM GND CTLR.

Narrative: MY INITIAL POS WAS ON THE PARKING RAMP IN FRONT OF THE CTL TWR JUST OFF TXWY B. I MONITORED ATIS AND WAS AWARE THAT THE ACTIVES WERE RWY 2R AND RWY 34. I CONTACTED PDK GND AND REQUESTED TO TAXI TO THE N RAMP. I WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS RWY 34 AND PROCEEDED TO THE N RAMP WITHOUT INCIDENT. I PICKED UP A PAX AT THE N RAMP, CONTACTED PDK GND CTL AND STATED I NEEDED A VFR NE DEP. PDK GND ISSUED 'TAXI TO RWY 34, HOLD SHORT AT TXWY H, HOLD SHORT OF RWY 24.' I PROCEEDED TO TAXI VIA TXWY D WITH THE UNDERSTANDING OF HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 34 AT TXWY H. PDK GND ORDERED ME TO STOP, STATING THAT I DID NOT HAVE CLRNC TO CROSS RWY 34. I STATED THAT I WAS HOLDING SHORT 'OF' RWY 34 'AT' TXWY H. PDK GND STATED THAT I WAS INSTRUCTED TO HOLD SHORT 'OF' TXWY H AND ORDERED ME TO TURN AROUND AND MAKE A L TURN AND HOLD SHORT 'OF' TXWY H. A JET WAS APCHING FROM MY L ON TXWY A. THE JET WAS CLRED TO CROSS RWY 34. PDK GND GAVE ME DIRECTIONS TO CONTINUE MY TAXI. NO FURTHER ROUTING OR INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN. I STATED 'XXX TO CROSS RWY 34 AT TXWY H, AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 24.' PDK GND DID NOT CHALLENGE MY ROUTING. I TAXIED ACROSS RWY 34 AT TXWY H. AFTER XING RWY 34, PDK GND QUESTIONED ABOUT MY POS. I CONFIRMED MY POS AND WAS TOLD I WAS NEVER AUTH TO CROSS RWY 34 AND TO CONTACT TWR WHEN I RETURNED. I WAS LATER TOLD TO TAXI TO THE RAMP AND MEET A TWR SUPVR. I MET WITH THE SUPVR. HE STATED THAT HE WOULD REVIEW THE TAPES AND CONTACT ME IF I WAS UNDER ANY ACTION. HE DID NOT CALL ME, SO I CALLED HIM THE NEXT DAY. HE STATED THAT I HAD REPEATED THE CLRNCS CORRECTLY BUT WAS NOT CLRED TO CROSS RWY 34. HE SAID THAT I DID STATE MY INTENTIONS OF XING. SINCE THE PDK GND CTLR DID NOT CHALLENGE THE ROUTING, THERE WAS NO FURTHER ACTION NEEDED FROM ME. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: GND USED THE WORDS HOLD SHORT 'AT' INSTEAD OF USING HOLD SHORT 'OF.' TO ME, THIS IMPLIED THAT THE CTLR WANTED FOR ME TO RETURN THE SAME DIRECTION I WAS JUST RECENTLY CLRED. IT WAS VERY BUSY, THERE WAS A LOT OF LIGHT AND MEDIUM SIZE ACFT TFC USING THE 2 ACTIVE RWYS AND TXWYS, AND THE GND CTLR WAS VERY BUSY PROVIDING CLRNCS. I AM SURE THE HVY VOLUME OF TFC PLAYED A ROLE. THE CTLR DID NOT RESPOND TO MY ROUTING READBACK, POSSIBLY DUE TO THE VOLUME HE WAS CTLING. REMEDIAL ACTIONS: I HAVE REVIEWED THE AIM SECTIONS, SPECIFICALLY 'TAXIING,' AND 'TAXI CLRNC.' I HAVE COMPLETED THE AOPA AIR SAFETY FOUNDATION RWY SAFETY PROGRAM AND CONSULTED 2 CFI'S FOR UNDERSTANDING OF TAXI CLRNCS.

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.