Narrative:

The taxi clearance given to me by the ground controller was inconcise and lacked standard phraseology. My interpretation of the clearance was to use an active runway as a route of taxi to my destination. I thought this to be especially strange because my airport diagram displayed a shorter and probably safer route for this. I did not, however, voice this concern to the ground controller. Instead, I read back the clearance clearly stating that I would be using the active runway on my route of taxi. Although the controller never instructed me T hold short of or cross this runway for connection to the more efficient route, I was still expecting that he would tell me my readback was incorrect, and advise me not to use the runway as a leg on the route. The controller did not correct my readback, but he did, however, correct my turn onto the active runway, advising me to head back to my flight school so I could give him a call over the phone, or possibly pay him a visit at the tower. In my follow-up phone conversation with the ground controller, he acknowledged maintaining silence when in question of my incorrect readback and its potential for a runway incursion, and I made him aware of the deficiencies in his clearance. These events serve as great examples of the rule 'when in question, ask.' I should have verified the clearance to the extent of absolute certainty with the controller's directions, and he should have verified my readback to the extent of absolute certainty with my intentions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT READS BACK TAXI CLRNC INCLUDING INSTRUCTION TO USE A RWY FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATCT GND CTLR FAILS TO CORRECT HIM AND A CONTESTED RWY INCURSION RESULTS.

Narrative: THE TAXI CLRNC GIVEN TO ME BY THE GND CTLR WAS INCONCISE AND LACKED STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY. MY INTERP OF THE CLRNC WAS TO USE AN ACTIVE RWY AS A RTE OF TAXI TO MY DEST. I THOUGHT THIS TO BE ESPECIALLY STRANGE BECAUSE MY ARPT DIAGRAM DISPLAYED A SHORTER AND PROBABLY SAFER RTE FOR THIS. I DID NOT, HOWEVER, VOICE THIS CONCERN TO THE GND CTLR. INSTEAD, I READ BACK THE CLRNC CLRLY STATING THAT I WOULD BE USING THE ACTIVE RWY ON MY RTE OF TAXI. ALTHOUGH THE CTLR NEVER INSTRUCTED ME T HOLD SHORT OF OR CROSS THIS RWY FOR CONNECTION TO THE MORE EFFICIENT RTE, I WAS STILL EXPECTING THAT HE WOULD TELL ME MY READBACK WAS INCORRECT, AND ADVISE ME NOT TO USE THE RWY AS A LEG ON THE RTE. THE CTLR DID NOT CORRECT MY READBACK, BUT HE DID, HOWEVER, CORRECT MY TURN ONTO THE ACTIVE RWY, ADVISING ME TO HEAD BACK TO MY FLT SCHOOL SO I COULD GIVE HIM A CALL OVER THE PHONE, OR POSSIBLY PAY HIM A VISIT AT THE TWR. IN MY FOLLOW-UP PHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE GND CTLR, HE ACKNOWLEDGED MAINTAINING SILENCE WHEN IN QUESTION OF MY INCORRECT READBACK AND ITS POTENTIAL FOR A RWY INCURSION, AND I MADE HIM AWARE OF THE DEFICIENCIES IN HIS CLRNC. THESE EVENTS SERVE AS GREAT EXAMPLES OF THE RULE 'WHEN IN QUESTION, ASK.' I SHOULD HAVE VERIFIED THE CLRNC TO THE EXTENT OF ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY WITH THE CTLR'S DIRECTIONS, AND HE SHOULD HAVE VERIFIED MY READBACK TO THE EXTENT OF ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY WITH MY INTENTIONS.

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.