Narrative:

Departing philadelphia int'l from GA ramp of the airport. Contacted ground control for permission to taxi, requested progressive taxi instructions due to heavy volume of traffic on and around the airport. Ground control asked me if I could take a runway 35 departure at intersection K. I responded that I could. The ground controller proceeded to give me taxi instructions to the approach end of runway 8. At this point ground told me to contact the tower for permission to cross the approach end of runway 8. I called the tower and was given permission to cross runway 8 and taxi to runway 35 at K intersection and hold. I assumed the instructions were to taxi to runway 35 at K intersection and taxi into position and hold. I taxied into position on runway 35 and after about a min of waiting I called the tower and told the controller that I was ready for takeoff. I was cleared for takeoff. After departure I was given a number to call to talk to the tower. I was informed that I had taxied onto an active runway without clearance. I was given progressive taxi instructions from the ground controller, but the tower controller was not notified that I was being given progressive taxi instructions. I feel that this situation arose due to the heavy volume of traffic at the time. I also feel that the wording that the controller used 'taxi to runway 35 at K intersection and hold' led me to believe that I was in fact cleared to taxi onto the runway. When the pilot requests progressive taxi instructions he lets his guard down somewhat in the belief that the controller is more closely monitoring his progress on taxi route. If the controller is too busy to adequately provide the progressive instructions as I believe they were in this case, they should refuse the progressive taxi request.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE58 TAXIED ONTO RWY 35 AT PHL WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: DEPARTING PHILADELPHIA INT'L FROM GA RAMP OF THE ARPT. CONTACTED GND CTL FOR PERMISSION TO TAXI, REQUESTED PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS DUE TO HEAVY VOLUME OF TFC ON AND AROUND THE ARPT. GND CTL ASKED ME IF I COULD TAKE A RWY 35 DEP AT INTXN K. I RESPONDED THAT I COULD. THE GND CTLR PROCEEDED TO GIVE ME TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO THE APCH END OF RWY 8. AT THIS POINT GND TOLD ME TO CONTACT THE TWR FOR PERMISSION TO CROSS THE APCH END OF RWY 8. I CALLED THE TWR AND WAS GIVEN PERMISSION TO CROSS RWY 8 AND TAXI TO RWY 35 AT K INTXN AND HOLD. I ASSUMED THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE TO TAXI TO RWY 35 AT K INTXN AND TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD. I TAXIED INTO POSITION ON RWY 35 AND AFTER ABOUT A MIN OF WAITING I CALLED THE TWR AND TOLD THE CTLR THAT I WAS READY FOR TKOF. I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. AFTER DEP I WAS GIVEN A NUMBER TO CALL TO TALK TO THE TWR. I WAS INFORMED THAT I HAD TAXIED ONTO AN ACTIVE RWY WITHOUT CLRNC. I WAS GIVEN PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE GND CTLR, BUT THE TWR CTLR WAS NOT NOTIFIED THAT I WAS BEING GIVEN PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. I FEEL THAT THIS SIT AROSE DUE TO THE HEAVY VOLUME OF TFC AT THE TIME. I ALSO FEEL THAT THE WORDING THAT THE CTLR USED 'TAXI TO RWY 35 AT K INTXN AND HOLD' LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT I WAS IN FACT CLRED TO TAXI ONTO THE RWY. WHEN THE PLT REQUESTS PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS HE LETS HIS GUARD DOWN SOMEWHAT IN THE BELIEF THAT THE CTLR IS MORE CLOSELY MONITORING HIS PROGRESS ON TAXI RTE. IF THE CTLR IS TOO BUSY TO ADEQUATELY PROVIDE THE PROGRESSIVE INSTRUCTIONS AS I BELIEVE THEY WERE IN THIS CASE, THEY SHOULD REFUSE THE PROGRESSIVE TAXI REQUEST.

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.