Narrative:

Prior to initiating taxi procedure, clearance was received from ground control to taxi to runway 36R. From the cargo area it is necessary to cross runway 36R to the parallel taxiway. We continued to taxi across 36R and as we were halfway across another aircraft, large transport I believe, had taxied into position on 36R with his landing lights on. Ground control then informed us on that 'in the future, hold short of 36R unless cleared to cross', he had planned to clear the large transport for takeoff. In all of the flts that I have flown in and out of huntsville, I have always received a clearance to 'taxi to runway, hold short of 36R'. I was sure that the controller was in error by issuing us a clearance to runway 36R without giving us instructions to 'hold short of 36R'. I felt that a clearance to a runway was authorization to cross that runway, however, after referencing far part 91, I found that I was in error, that clearance to taxi to a runway does not automatically mean that you have clearance to cross that runway. I feel that some of the contributing factors that led to this incident are that even though a clearance to 'hold short' of the runway that you are cleared to taxi to is not required by ATC, it should be included to reinforce in the pilot's mind to hold short of that particular runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MDT UNAUTH RWY CROSSING AT HSV.

Narrative: PRIOR TO INITIATING TAXI PROC, CLRNC WAS RECEIVED FROM GND CTL TO TAXI TO RWY 36R. FROM THE CARGO AREA IT IS NECESSARY TO CROSS RWY 36R TO THE PARALLEL TXWY. WE CONTINUED TO TAXI ACROSS 36R AND AS WE WERE HALFWAY ACROSS ANOTHER ACFT, LGT I BELIEVE, HAD TAXIED INTO POSITION ON 36R WITH HIS LNDG LIGHTS ON. GND CTL THEN INFORMED US ON THAT 'IN THE FUTURE, HOLD SHORT OF 36R UNLESS CLRED TO CROSS', HE HAD PLANNED TO CLEAR THE LGT FOR TKOF. IN ALL OF THE FLTS THAT I HAVE FLOWN IN AND OUT OF HUNTSVILLE, I HAVE ALWAYS RECEIVED A CLRNC TO 'TAXI TO RWY, HOLD SHORT OF 36R'. I WAS SURE THAT THE CTLR WAS IN ERROR BY ISSUING US A CLRNC TO RWY 36R WITHOUT GIVING US INSTRUCTIONS TO 'HOLD SHORT OF 36R'. I FELT THAT A CLRNC TO A RWY WAS AUTHORIZATION TO CROSS THAT RWY, HOWEVER, AFTER REFERENCING FAR PART 91, I FOUND THAT I WAS IN ERROR, THAT CLRNC TO TAXI TO A RWY DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY MEAN THAT YOU HAVE CLRNC TO CROSS THAT RWY. I FEEL THAT SOME OF THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS THAT LED TO THIS INCIDENT ARE THAT EVEN THOUGH A CLRNC TO 'HOLD SHORT' OF THE RWY THAT YOU ARE CLRED TO TAXI TO IS NOT REQUIRED BY ATC, IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED TO REINFORCE IN THE PLT'S MIND TO HOLD SHORT OF THAT PARTICULAR RWY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.