<< >> NASA ASRS Report 137771, February 1990

Small aircraft pilot taxies across runway when tower still closed. Notified 15 seconds later when tower opened that runway was active.

Attributes
ACN	137771
Time
Date	199002
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : orl
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 360
ASRS Report	137771
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Orl tower opens at XA00 local. At approximately XE45, I received an airport advisory from the FSS on the field that wind favored runway 31. Since this was on CTAF 118.7, I assumed the tower crew would have heard, even though they hadn't opened up. I taxied on echo towards runway 31 and neglected to announce what I was doing. After I crossed runway 7, the tower opened (within 15 seconds) and said that runway 7 was the active. I could have caused a problem, but there was no other traffic. I ended up departing from 7 against my better judgement as well, even though the wind favored 31, because runway 31 is noise sensitive. The resulting tailwind takeoff was quite uncoordinated and hazardous. Recommendations: 1) FSS should not recommend a different runway than the tower is likely to use. 2) I should have announced my intentions before taxiing. 3) I should have requested and used runway 31 anyway. I wasn't a bizjet!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT TAXIES ACROSS RWY WHEN TWR STILL CLOSED. NOTIFIED 15 SECONDS LATER WHEN TWR OPENED THAT RWY WAS ACTIVE.

Narrative: ORL TWR OPENS AT XA00 LCL. AT APPROX XE45, I RECEIVED AN ARPT ADVISORY FROM THE FSS ON THE FIELD THAT WIND FAVORED RWY 31. SINCE THIS WAS ON CTAF 118.7, I ASSUMED THE TWR CREW WOULD HAVE HEARD, EVEN THOUGH THEY HADN'T OPENED UP. I TAXIED ON ECHO TOWARDS RWY 31 AND NEGLECTED TO ANNOUNCE WHAT I WAS DOING. AFTER I CROSSED RWY 7, THE TWR OPENED (WITHIN 15 SECONDS) AND SAID THAT RWY 7 WAS THE ACTIVE. I COULD HAVE CAUSED A PROBLEM, BUT THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC. I ENDED UP DEPARTING FROM 7 AGAINST MY BETTER JUDGEMENT AS WELL, EVEN THOUGH THE WIND FAVORED 31, BECAUSE RWY 31 IS NOISE SENSITIVE. THE RESULTING TAILWIND TKOF WAS QUITE UNCOORDINATED AND HAZARDOUS. RECOMMENDATIONS: 1) FSS SHOULD NOT RECOMMEND A DIFFERENT RWY THAN THE TWR IS LIKELY TO USE. 2) I SHOULD HAVE ANNOUNCED MY INTENTIONS BEFORE TAXIING. 3) I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED AND USED RWY 31 ANYWAY. I WASN'T A BIZJET!

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.