Runway incursion by an MD88 PIC when following 2 other aircraft across runway 27R at atl, GA.

Attributes
ACN	604580
Time
Date	200401
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : smf.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : atl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 185 flight time total : 7909 flight time type : 3471
ASRS Report	604580
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Landed at atl runway 27L. I exited on high speed taxiway N4 with instructions to hold short of runway 27R at taxiway T. 2 rj's were holding short of runway 27R on taxiway T. On taxiway N4, tower inquired about birds on final. While responding to tower and finishing the after check, the 2 rj's were cleared across runway 27R. I heard a same company clearance and assumed it was my clearance. I had not come to a complete stop and as my nose crossed the runway boundary marker, the first officer challenged me on the clearance. Because I was rolling, I continued across runway 27R. On contacting ground control, they challenged me on my clearance. Tapes revealed I had not received clearance. An rj had been cleared to take off runway 27R, but had not started its roll. Takeoff clearance was canceled. Anticipating a probable clearance with confusion on the radio led to a potential hazard. With traffic levels back to yr 2000, the system is becoming stressed to get the job done.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY INCURSION BY AN MD88 PIC WHEN FOLLOWING 2 OTHER ACFT ACROSS RWY 27R AT ATL, GA.

Narrative: LANDED AT ATL RWY 27L. I EXITED ON HIGH SPD TXWY N4 WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 27R AT TXWY T. 2 RJ'S WERE HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 27R ON TXWY T. ON TXWY N4, TWR INQUIRED ABOUT BIRDS ON FINAL. WHILE RESPONDING TO TWR AND FINISHING THE AFTER CHK, THE 2 RJ'S WERE CLRED ACROSS RWY 27R. I HEARD A SAME COMPANY CLRNC AND ASSUMED IT WAS MY CLRNC. I HAD NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND AS MY NOSE CROSSED THE RWY BOUNDARY MARKER, THE FO CHALLENGED ME ON THE CLRNC. BECAUSE I WAS ROLLING, I CONTINUED ACROSS RWY 27R. ON CONTACTING GND CTL, THEY CHALLENGED ME ON MY CLRNC. TAPES REVEALED I HAD NOT RECEIVED CLRNC. AN RJ HAD BEEN CLRED TO TAKE OFF RWY 27R, BUT HAD NOT STARTED ITS ROLL. TKOF CLRNC WAS CANCELED. ANTICIPATING A PROBABLE CLRNC WITH CONFUSION ON THE RADIO LED TO A POTENTIAL HAZARD. WITH TFC LEVELS BACK TO YR 2000, THE SYS IS BECOMING STRESSED TO GET THE JOB DONE.

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.