Narrative:

I was working ground control when aircraft X called for IFR clearance. I issued the IFR clearance; which the pilot read back correctly. The pilot advised he had the current ATIS; and was ready to taxi; requesting runway 10R. I coordinated a crossing of runway 10L at golf with local. I issued taxi instructions - 'turn right; taxi to runway 10R via alpha; golf; cross runway 10L at golf.' I verified the pilot had the latest convective sigmets and icing reports for the area. A short time later; it appeared the aircraft was not going to stop in time to hold short of runway 10R. I instructed the aircraft to hold short of runway 10R but by the time he stopped; he was across the hold lines. I then had him continue crossing runway 10R at golf and taxi to runway 10R full-length via bravo; and I issued the 'possible pilot deviation' statement to the pilot. Recommendation; our airport has a very high runway incursion rate. In fact; at one point; we were leading the nation in runway incursions. As a result of this; various runway safety action teams and other committees and management personnel have come up with all kinds of special phraseology; unique rules; statements on the ATIS; etc. That we are required to use. For example; we are required to instruct pilots to either 'turn left' or 'turn right' out of parking. This; combined with a 'left' or 'right' in the runway they are taxied to; can confuse the pilot; and this resulted in an increase in the rate of incorrect read backs. Management does not see things this way; though; they just like to look like they are doing something to address the problem; to get the region off their backs. It does not seem to matter to anybody if their 'fix' to the runway incursion problem actually makes things worse. At a certain point; it gets ridiculous. I think in this situation; it may have helped the pilot if I had re-iterated to hold short of runway 10R at golf; even though the pilot cannot cross the runway he/she is taxied to without specific clearance to do so. On the other hand; I think it is a double-edged sword. If we continue to dumb down our phraseology and re-iterate things that we should not have to; then eventually when the runway incursion rate subsides; and all the runway safety action teams and special phraseology go away; pilots may think the lack of re-iterating hold short instructions is by default a clearance to cross. In short; I am not sure what the solution to this problem is; other than doing a better job of educating our local pilots of the rules.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FCM Controller and PC-12 pilot described a miscommunication event which resulted in a runway incursion.

Narrative: I was working Ground Control when Aircraft X called for IFR clearance. I issued the IFR clearance; which the pilot read back correctly. The pilot advised he had the current ATIS; and was ready to taxi; requesting Runway 10R. I coordinated a crossing of Runway 10L at Golf with Local. I issued taxi instructions - 'turn right; taxi to Runway 10R via Alpha; Golf; cross Runway 10L at Golf.' I verified the pilot had the latest convective SIGMETS and icing reports for the area. A short time later; it appeared the aircraft was not going to stop in time to hold short of Runway 10R. I instructed the aircraft to hold short of Runway 10R but by the time he stopped; he was across the hold lines. I then had him continue crossing Runway 10R at Golf and taxi to Runway 10R full-length via Bravo; and I issued the 'possible pilot deviation' statement to the pilot. Recommendation; our airport has a very high runway incursion rate. In fact; at one point; we were leading the nation in runway incursions. As a result of this; various runway safety action teams and other committees and management personnel have come up with all kinds of special phraseology; unique rules; statements on the ATIS; etc. that we are required to use. For example; we are required to instruct pilots to either 'turn left' or 'turn right' out of parking. This; combined with a 'left' or 'right' in the runway they are taxied to; can confuse the pilot; and this resulted in an increase in the rate of incorrect read backs. Management does not see things this way; though; they just like to look like they are doing something to address the problem; to get the Region off their backs. It does not seem to matter to anybody if their 'fix' to the runway incursion problem actually makes things worse. At a certain point; it gets ridiculous. I think in this situation; it may have helped the pilot if I had re-iterated to hold short of Runway 10R at Golf; even though the pilot cannot cross the runway he/she is taxied to without specific clearance to do so. On the other hand; I think it is a double-edged sword. If we continue to dumb down our phraseology and re-iterate things that we should not have to; then eventually when the runway incursion rate subsides; and all the runway safety action teams and special phraseology go away; pilots may think the lack of re-iterating hold short instructions is by default a clearance to cross. In short; I am not sure what the solution to this problem is; other than doing a better job of educating our local pilots of the rules.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.