Narrative:

While working local at syr tower, the following events took place. Air carrier Y was cleared to land runway 28. Just before this, the ground controller advised he had traffic to cross runway 28 at intersection M and the departure end. Air carrier Y was given RVR 2800 and again cleared to land. Air carrier Y reported traffic crossing the runway in front of him. I asked the aircraft if he was going around. He replied 'I'm continuing my landing.' the most significant factor was limited visibility. Performance considerations: breakdown of verbal communications between the ground controller and small aircraft X. My opinion was that the event was a pilot deviation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: visibility was reduced due to blowing snow. A system error was filed by the FAA. The investigation revealed the ground controller was not busy. Both the local and ground controllers could not see the movement area due to restr visibility. Small aircraft X did not follow the taxi route issued by the ground controller. Small aircraft X asked to cross runway 28 and the instructions were 'taxi straight ahead, cross runway 32.' the ground controller thought the aircraft was holding short of runway 32 as the aircraft was cleared.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA X FAILED TO FOLLOW TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. PLT DEVIATION. GND CTLR COORD TO CROSS WRONG RWY. OPERATIONAL DEVIATION.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING LCL AT SYR TWR, THE FOLLOWING EVENTS TOOK PLACE. ACR Y WAS CLRED TO LAND RWY 28. JUST BEFORE THIS, THE GND CTLR ADVISED HE HAD TFC TO CROSS RWY 28 AT INTXN M AND THE DEP END. ACR Y WAS GIVEN RVR 2800 AND AGAIN CLRED TO LAND. ACR Y RPTED TFC XING THE RWY IN FRONT OF HIM. I ASKED THE ACFT IF HE WAS GOING AROUND. HE REPLIED 'I'M CONTINUING MY LNDG.' THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FACTOR WAS LIMITED VISIBILITY. PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: BREAKDOWN OF VERBAL COMS BTWN THE GND CTLR AND SMA X. MY OPINION WAS THAT THE EVENT WAS A PLTDEV. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: VISIBILITY WAS REDUCED DUE TO BLOWING SNOW. A SYS ERROR WAS FILED BY THE FAA. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE GND CTLR WAS NOT BUSY. BOTH THE LCL AND GND CTLRS COULD NOT SEE THE MOVEMENT AREA DUE TO RESTR VISIBILITY. SMA X DID NOT FOLLOW THE TAXI ROUTE ISSUED BY THE GND CTLR. SMA X ASKED TO CROSS RWY 28 AND THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE 'TAXI STRAIGHT AHEAD, CROSS RWY 32.' THE GND CTLR THOUGHT THE ACFT WAS HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 32 AS THE ACFT WAS CLRED.

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.