Narrative:

When I was ready to make an initial call to get permission for takeoff, I already saw an aircraft on final approach, so I decided to wait until the aircraft landed to make a call. After seeing the aircraft land, I called the tower to get permission for takeoff. In response to that, the tower said, 'hold short,' and I replied, 'hold short.' however, I misunderstood the phrase 'hold short' as 'position and hold.' there was no traffic visible on final. Even if I said 'hold short,' in my mind, I felt it was cleared for me to go on to the runway, so I actually did. A few seconds later, the tower came back and said something fast I did not understand clearly, but I remembered the tower saying, 'you are not cleared for takeoff, go back to taxiway C.' then, I realized I made a mistake, so I apologized, then I cleared the runway. At taxiway C, I changed the frequency to the ground control, then I called the ground control to get permission to taxi. The controller said if I wanted to go back, or to taxi to the runway for another takeoff, then I said 'I want to taxi to runway 4,' so the controller allowed me to taxi back to runway 4 again. After going back to the runway, I called the tower, and he spoke slowly to me. After that, I did not make any mistakes, then I went on the cross country flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT AT SWO INTERPRETS TWR INTERACTIONS TO HOLD SHORT AS A CLRNC INTO POS AND HOLD.

Narrative: WHEN I WAS READY TO MAKE AN INITIAL CALL TO GET PERMISSION FOR TKOF, I ALREADY SAW AN ACFT ON FINAL APCH, SO I DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL THE ACFT LANDED TO MAKE A CALL. AFTER SEEING THE ACFT LAND, I CALLED THE TWR TO GET PERMISSION FOR TKOF. IN RESPONSE TO THAT, THE TWR SAID, 'HOLD SHORT,' AND I REPLIED, 'HOLD SHORT.' HOWEVER, I MISUNDERSTOOD THE PHRASE 'HOLD SHORT' AS 'POS AND HOLD.' THERE WAS NO TFC VISIBLE ON FINAL. EVEN IF I SAID 'HOLD SHORT,' IN MY MIND, I FELT IT WAS CLRED FOR ME TO GO ON TO THE RWY, SO I ACTUALLY DID. A FEW SECONDS LATER, THE TWR CAME BACK AND SAID SOMETHING FAST I DID NOT UNDERSTAND CLRLY, BUT I REMEMBERED THE TWR SAYING, 'YOU ARE NOT CLRED FOR TKOF, GO BACK TO TXWY C.' THEN, I REALIZED I MADE A MISTAKE, SO I APOLOGIZED, THEN I CLRED THE RWY. AT TXWY C, I CHANGED THE FREQ TO THE GND CTL, THEN I CALLED THE GND CTL TO GET PERMISSION TO TAXI. THE CTLR SAID IF I WANTED TO GO BACK, OR TO TAXI TO THE RWY FOR ANOTHER TKOF, THEN I SAID 'I WANT TO TAXI TO RWY 4,' SO THE CTLR ALLOWED ME TO TAXI BACK TO RWY 4 AGAIN. AFTER GOING BACK TO THE RWY, I CALLED THE TWR, AND HE SPOKE SLOWLY TO ME. AFTER THAT, I DID NOT MAKE ANY MISTAKES, THEN I WENT ON THE XCOUNTRY FLT.

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.