Runway incursion by a B737 during taxi operation in a thunderstorm at msy, la.

Attributes
ACN	616232
Time
Date	200404
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msy.airport
State Reference	LA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 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 : 230 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	616232
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	616315
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to original clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were waiting for a thunderstorm with lightning to pass over the airport in new orleans. After waiting 10 mins or so, some of the lightning stopped and we pushed out of gate. After the engines were started, we called ground for a taxi clearance and were instructed to taxi to runway 10. I looked down at the taxi chart and noted that the ramp area led to taxiway east and to runway 10. There was very heavy rain and the visibility was poor. As we started taxiing out, I called for the taxi checklist. My eyes were inside the cockpit, checking the speed book thinking I was taxiing to taxiway east. Instead, I was taxiing toward taxiway F and toward runway 10. Our nose was past the hold line on taxiway F, when the ground controller said 'it appears you are taxiing onto runway 10. Taxi onto runway 10, then make a left turn onto taxiway east.' I turned on the wipers and realized that we had almost taxied onto runway 10 (active runway). We taxied to runway 10 in heavy rain. We were cleared to takeoff, made a left turn away from the heavy cells. Normal flight. Supplemental information from acn 616315: we were pushed deep into taxiway east (ramp at this point) to near intersection with taxiway F. Wind shift required use of runway 10. I went 'head down' to look at radar to evaluate WX to the east through west as we turned. Just as I looked up to check status of turn and position on ramp, I realized that we were entering taxiway F and about to proceed onto runway 10/28. At the same time, ground control noticed and commanded a stop (nose of aircraft just over stop bars). Aircraft position relative to taxiway F and taxiway east was a wide area of pavement with 'soft' diagonals that led to an early stop of turn. Taxi route was briefed for runway 28 with last min change that though discussed earlier as a possibility, didn't take into account the deep push and proximity to taxiway F. Clearly, the ongoing WX issues caused the distrs that led to the runway incursion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY INCURSION BY A B737 DURING TAXI OP IN A TSTM AT MSY, LA.

Narrative: WE WERE WAITING FOR A TSTM WITH LIGHTNING TO PASS OVER THE ARPT IN NEW ORLEANS. AFTER WAITING 10 MINS OR SO, SOME OF THE LIGHTNING STOPPED AND WE PUSHED OUT OF GATE. AFTER THE ENGS WERE STARTED, WE CALLED GND FOR A TAXI CLRNC AND WERE INSTRUCTED TO TAXI TO RWY 10. I LOOKED DOWN AT THE TAXI CHART AND NOTED THAT THE RAMP AREA LED TO TXWY E AND TO RWY 10. THERE WAS VERY HVY RAIN AND THE VISIBILITY WAS POOR. AS WE STARTED TAXIING OUT, I CALLED FOR THE TAXI CHKLIST. MY EYES WERE INSIDE THE COCKPIT, CHKING THE SPD BOOK THINKING I WAS TAXIING TO TXWY E. INSTEAD, I WAS TAXIING TOWARD TXWY F AND TOWARD RWY 10. OUR NOSE WAS PAST THE HOLD LINE ON TXWY F, WHEN THE GND CTLR SAID 'IT APPEARS YOU ARE TAXIING ONTO RWY 10. TAXI ONTO RWY 10, THEN MAKE A L TURN ONTO TXWY E.' I TURNED ON THE WIPERS AND REALIZED THAT WE HAD ALMOST TAXIED ONTO RWY 10 (ACTIVE RWY). WE TAXIED TO RWY 10 IN HVY RAIN. WE WERE CLRED TO TKOF, MADE A L TURN AWAY FROM THE HVY CELLS. NORMAL FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 616315: WE WERE PUSHED DEEP INTO TXWY E (RAMP AT THIS POINT) TO NEAR INTXN WITH TXWY F. WIND SHIFT REQUIRED USE OF RWY 10. I WENT 'HEAD DOWN' TO LOOK AT RADAR TO EVALUATE WX TO THE E THROUGH W AS WE TURNED. JUST AS I LOOKED UP TO CHK STATUS OF TURN AND POS ON RAMP, I REALIZED THAT WE WERE ENTERING TXWY F AND ABOUT TO PROCEED ONTO RWY 10/28. AT THE SAME TIME, GND CTL NOTICED AND COMMANDED A STOP (NOSE OF ACFT JUST OVER STOP BARS). ACFT POS RELATIVE TO TXWY F AND TXWY E WAS A WIDE AREA OF PAVEMENT WITH 'SOFT' DIAGONALS THAT LED TO AN EARLY STOP OF TURN. TAXI RTE WAS BRIEFED FOR RWY 28 WITH LAST MIN CHANGE THAT THOUGH DISCUSSED EARLIER AS A POSSIBILITY, DIDN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE DEEP PUSH AND PROX TO TXWY F. CLRLY, THE ONGOING WX ISSUES CAUSED THE DISTRS THAT LED TO THE RWY INCURSION.

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.