Narrative:

I was parked on the tiedowns east of FBO. I had just obtained my IFR clearance and contacted midway ground for taxi instructions. I received an instruction to follow a 'taildragger' to runway 4L, hold short of runway 4R. After looking for the taildragger I notified ground that I didn't see him. Ground stated he was 'long gone' and that I should take a left on taxiway F and then take taxiway K. The controller was very busy. When I started to taxi I made a right turn on taxiway K (I should have turned left). Just as I started to taxi across runway 31C, I realized my mistake. The ground controller then informed me I had crossed an active runway. He proceeded to tell me to 'cross runway 31C, make a 180 degrees, and hold short of runway 31C.' after approximately 15 seconds, I received instruction to taxi straight ahead on taxiway K to runway 4L, hold short of runway 4R. As I approached runway 4R, I received clearance to cross runway 4R. The rest of the flight was completed without incident. I feel several factors contributed to my confusion in this situation. Foremost, this was my first time into chicago midway. My confidence level was normal, considering my arrival the day before was uneventful. I did have a taxi diagram available and was utilizing it. However, as a single pilot I was distraction by having to divide my attention inside to the diagram and outside while taxiing. I also was fatigued due to lack of rest the previous evening. Lastly, some of the taxiway identify signs were difficult to see, especially at the intersection of txwys K and F due to the complicated intersection geometry and close proximity of runway hold short signs, etc. In the future, I plan to review the taxiway diagram in greater detail while the aircraft is not in motion, be more aggressive about admitting any confusion concerning my location. I also will ensure I have received appropriate rest before operating at a congested airport such as midway. As a CFI, I teach the use of the checklist for recognizing unsafe physical and mental condition, and I will reinforce this strategy in my own flying.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PLT HAD A RWY INCURSION, ON TAXI OUT, AT MDW.

Narrative: I WAS PARKED ON THE TIEDOWNS E OF FBO. I HAD JUST OBTAINED MY IFR CLRNC AND CONTACTED MIDWAY GND FOR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. I RECEIVED AN INSTRUCTION TO FOLLOW A 'TAILDRAGGER' TO RWY 4L, HOLD SHORT OF RWY 4R. AFTER LOOKING FOR THE TAILDRAGGER I NOTIFIED GND THAT I DIDN'T SEE HIM. GND STATED HE WAS 'LONG GONE' AND THAT I SHOULD TAKE A L ON TXWY F AND THEN TAKE TXWY K. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY. WHEN I STARTED TO TAXI I MADE A R TURN ON TXWY K (I SHOULD HAVE TURNED L). JUST AS I STARTED TO TAXI ACROSS RWY 31C, I REALIZED MY MISTAKE. THE GND CTLR THEN INFORMED ME I HAD CROSSED AN ACTIVE RWY. HE PROCEEDED TO TELL ME TO 'CROSS RWY 31C, MAKE A 180 DEGS, AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 31C.' AFTER APPROX 15 SECONDS, I RECEIVED INSTRUCTION TO TAXI STRAIGHT AHEAD ON TXWY K TO RWY 4L, HOLD SHORT OF RWY 4R. AS I APCHED RWY 4R, I RECEIVED CLRNC TO CROSS RWY 4R. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I FEEL SEVERAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO MY CONFUSION IN THIS SIT. FOREMOST, THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME INTO CHICAGO MIDWAY. MY CONFIDENCE LEVEL WAS NORMAL, CONSIDERING MY ARR THE DAY BEFORE WAS UNEVENTFUL. I DID HAVE A TAXI DIAGRAM AVAILABLE AND WAS UTILIZING IT. HOWEVER, AS A SINGLE PLT I WAS DISTR BY HAVING TO DIVIDE MY ATTN INSIDE TO THE DIAGRAM AND OUTSIDE WHILE TAXIING. I ALSO WAS FATIGUED DUE TO LACK OF REST THE PREVIOUS EVENING. LASTLY, SOME OF THE TXWY IDENT SIGNS WERE DIFFICULT TO SEE, ESPECIALLY AT THE INTXN OF TXWYS K AND F DUE TO THE COMPLICATED INTXN GEOMETRY AND CLOSE PROX OF RWY HOLD SHORT SIGNS, ETC. IN THE FUTURE, I PLAN TO REVIEW THE TXWY DIAGRAM IN GREATER DETAIL WHILE THE ACFT IS NOT IN MOTION, BE MORE AGGRESSIVE ABOUT ADMITTING ANY CONFUSION CONCERNING MY LOCATION. I ALSO WILL ENSURE I HAVE RECEIVED APPROPRIATE REST BEFORE OPERATING AT A CONGESTED ARPT SUCH AS MIDWAY. AS A CFI, I TEACH THE USE OF THE CHKLIST FOR RECOGNIZING UNSAFE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CONDITION, AND I WILL REINFORCE THIS STRATEGY IN MY OWN FLYING.

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.