A small aircraft taxied across an active runway without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	791878
Time
Date	200806
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 1202.6 flight time type : 1202.6
ASRS Report	791879
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Aircraft cleared from ramp to taxi to runway xx at taxiway D. As the pilot operating the radio; I mistakenly copied runway xy at taxiway D; and acknowledged the taxi clearance. I'm not sure whether I read back runway xx or runway xy. PF has approximately 200 hours total time; pilot operating the radio has approximately 1200 hours and outranks the PF. Aircraft was taxied to runway xy; crossing active runway xx in the process. Controller notified aircraft that it had been instructed to taxi to runway xx at taxiway D; and had crossed the active runway without permission. Fortunately; no traffic was on or approaching the runway. The problem arose with the misunderstood taxi clearance; and was compounded by the PF not questioning the clearance (although he admitted he thought he heard runway xx) and the failure of the controller to halt our incorrect taxi path until after we had crossed the active runway. We espouse CRM; and stress flight safety. Nevertheless; the PF did not feel comfortable questioning the taxi clearance. Re-emphasis on CRM procedures; and the duty to clarify unclr or uncertain or incorrect directions need to be stressed prior to each flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SMALL AIRCRAFT TAXIED ACROSS AN ACTIVE RUNWAY WITHOUT CLEARANCE.

Narrative: ACFT CLRED FROM RAMP TO TAXI TO RWY XX AT TXWY D. AS THE PLT OPERATING THE RADIO; I MISTAKENLY COPIED RWY XY AT TXWY D; AND ACKNOWLEDGED THE TAXI CLRNC. I'M NOT SURE WHETHER I READ BACK RWY XX OR RWY XY. PF HAS APPROX 200 HRS TOTAL TIME; PLT OPERATING THE RADIO HAS APPROX 1200 HRS AND OUTRANKS THE PF. ACFT WAS TAXIED TO RWY XY; XING ACTIVE RWY XX IN THE PROCESS. CTLR NOTIFIED ACFT THAT IT HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO TAXI TO RWY XX AT TXWY D; AND HAD CROSSED THE ACTIVE RWY WITHOUT PERMISSION. FORTUNATELY; NO TFC WAS ON OR APCHING THE RWY. THE PROB AROSE WITH THE MISUNDERSTOOD TAXI CLRNC; AND WAS COMPOUNDED BY THE PF NOT QUESTIONING THE CLRNC (ALTHOUGH HE ADMITTED HE THOUGHT HE HEARD RWY XX) AND THE FAILURE OF THE CTLR TO HALT OUR INCORRECT TAXI PATH UNTIL AFTER WE HAD CROSSED THE ACTIVE RWY. WE ESPOUSE CRM; AND STRESS FLT SAFETY. NEVERTHELESS; THE PF DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE QUESTIONING THE TAXI CLRNC. RE-EMPHASIS ON CRM PROCS; AND THE DUTY TO CLARIFY UNCLR OR UNCERTAIN OR INCORRECT DIRECTIONS NEED TO BE STRESSED PRIOR TO EACH FLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.