Narrative:

Ontario international airport currently has numerous txwys and runway 26R under construction. Therefore, there are numerous txwys closed, and runway 26R/8L is closed for landing. On jun/tuw/03, our taxi instructions included a route for departure from runway 26L. This route required us to eventually cross runway 26R/8L and runway 26L/8R for a departure from runway 26L. Our initial taxi instructions included a clearance to taxi from our parking location, taxi on taxiway left to runway 26R (the closed runway), back-taxi on runway 26R, and hold short of runway 26L (see attached airport diagram). I read back the clearance correctly. However, as I reflect on this occurrence, I must have thought that the clearance was to taxi on taxiway left, cross runway 26R, and hold short of runway 26L for further back-taxi instructions. As I began crossing runway 26R on taxiway left, my first officer noted that I was cleared to back-taxi on runway 26R. I stopped the aircraft, and my first officer requested a change to our taxi rteing. We requested clearance to continue on taxiway left to runway 26L, back-taxi on runway 26L, the open runway, exit runway 26L to the south, approximately at midfield, and then continue taxiing to runway 26L for departure. Ground control acknowledged that our initial clearance was, in fact, to back-taxi on runway 26R. However, our request for new taxi instructions was fine and was approved. There were no traffic conflicts, in fact, we were the only aircraft taxiing on the airport at that time. I submit this report primarily to highlight the importance of carefully paying attention to the initial taxi clearance. I always have my airport diagram in plain view on the window clipboard for easy reference while taxiing. Pay particular attention on airports with numerous taxiway and runway closures. Many times, as in this situation, some runways may be closed for landing, but are suitable for taxi operations. Review the taxi clearance closely with the first officer so he or she can be a backup during the taxi phase of the flight. Good crew resource management is a valuable asset. In this situation, the first officer noted my departure from the initial clearance, aiding my decision to stop the aircraft and receive an amendment to the initial taxi instructions. My error in this sequence of events was reading back the clearance properly, and then substituting runway 26L (the open runway) for runway 26R (the closed runway) in my mind. Lesson learned.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767-200 CREW WAS CONFUSED BY TXWY AND RWY CONSTRUCTION, AND THE TAXI CLRNC AT ONT.

Narrative: ONTARIO INTL ARPT CURRENTLY HAS NUMEROUS TXWYS AND RWY 26R UNDER CONSTRUCTION. THEREFORE, THERE ARE NUMEROUS TXWYS CLOSED, AND RWY 26R/8L IS CLOSED FOR LNDG. ON JUN/TUW/03, OUR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDED A RTE FOR DEP FROM RWY 26L. THIS RTE REQUIRED US TO EVENTUALLY CROSS RWY 26R/8L AND RWY 26L/8R FOR A DEP FROM RWY 26L. OUR INITIAL TAXI INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDED A CLRNC TO TAXI FROM OUR PARKING LOCATION, TAXI ON TXWY L TO RWY 26R (THE CLOSED RWY), BACK-TAXI ON RWY 26R, AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 26L (SEE ATTACHED ARPT DIAGRAM). I READ BACK THE CLRNC CORRECTLY. HOWEVER, AS I REFLECT ON THIS OCCURRENCE, I MUST HAVE THOUGHT THAT THE CLRNC WAS TO TAXI ON TXWY L, CROSS RWY 26R, AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 26L FOR FURTHER BACK-TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. AS I BEGAN XING RWY 26R ON TXWY L, MY FO NOTED THAT I WAS CLRED TO BACK-TAXI ON RWY 26R. I STOPPED THE ACFT, AND MY FO REQUESTED A CHANGE TO OUR TAXI RTEING. WE REQUESTED CLRNC TO CONTINUE ON TXWY L TO RWY 26L, BACK-TAXI ON RWY 26L, THE OPEN RWY, EXIT RWY 26L TO THE S, APPROX AT MIDFIELD, AND THEN CONTINUE TAXIING TO RWY 26L FOR DEP. GND CTL ACKNOWLEDGED THAT OUR INITIAL CLRNC WAS, IN FACT, TO BACK-TAXI ON RWY 26R. HOWEVER, OUR REQUEST FOR NEW TAXI INSTRUCTIONS WAS FINE AND WAS APPROVED. THERE WERE NO TFC CONFLICTS, IN FACT, WE WERE THE ONLY ACFT TAXIING ON THE ARPT AT THAT TIME. I SUBMIT THIS RPT PRIMARILY TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF CAREFULLY PAYING ATTN TO THE INITIAL TAXI CLRNC. I ALWAYS HAVE MY ARPT DIAGRAM IN PLAIN VIEW ON THE WINDOW CLIPBOARD FOR EASY REF WHILE TAXIING. PAY PARTICULAR ATTN ON ARPTS WITH NUMEROUS TXWY AND RWY CLOSURES. MANY TIMES, AS IN THIS SIT, SOME RWYS MAY BE CLOSED FOR LNDG, BUT ARE SUITABLE FOR TAXI OPS. REVIEW THE TAXI CLRNC CLOSELY WITH THE FO SO HE OR SHE CAN BE A BACKUP DURING THE TAXI PHASE OF THE FLT. GOOD CREW RESOURCE MGMNT IS A VALUABLE ASSET. IN THIS SIT, THE FO NOTED MY DEP FROM THE INITIAL CLRNC, AIDING MY DECISION TO STOP THE ACFT AND RECEIVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE INITIAL TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. MY ERROR IN THIS SEQUENCE OF EVENTS WAS READING BACK THE CLRNC PROPERLY, AND THEN SUBSTITUTING RWY 26L (THE OPEN RWY) FOR RWY 26R (THE CLOSED RWY) IN MY MIND. LESSON LEARNED.

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.