Narrative:

We received clearance to taxi from cargo ramp (cargo a) to runway 27L, hold short of 14R on the parallel. We started taxiing, slowing at the end of 9R and confirmed the clearance to each other. We looked and saw no traffic and the controller was very busy. We crossed 9R and started down the parallel to runway 27L. Ground asked us our position and when we replied 'holding short of 14R', I then realized I had crossed 27L in getting to the parallel! In proceeding on to 27L, ground cleared us to cross 14R, hold short of the 'stub'. Then later, left on the stub, right on the 'outer' then to turn on the 'branch' to follow an medium large transport. We questioned him and found he meant an air carrier medium large transport! I have never heard of an medium large transport called that. Basically, I mistakenly crossed a runway, thinking my first hold short point was 14R on the parallel taxiway. No aircraft were on runway 27L when we crossed on the 9R end. But the later use of nonstandard phraseology did not help an already busy and confusing situation. I am aware of the instruction in the aim that says, clearance to a runway is not clearance to cross that runway, but I feel that instruction was a trap hidden in the clearance we received. Controllers should clearly state each point he expects you to hold, and should identify aircraft to follow by type, not pet names. Supplemental information from acn 139769: the crew understood that to mean we are cleared across all runways up to but including 14R. The controller in fact wanted us to hold short of 9R but did not indicate his wishes in his taxi clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT CROSSES ACTIVE RWY IN TAXI PROC TO ACTIVE RWY.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO TAXI FROM CARGO RAMP (CARGO A) TO RWY 27L, HOLD SHORT OF 14R ON THE PARALLEL. WE STARTED TAXIING, SLOWING AT THE END OF 9R AND CONFIRMED THE CLRNC TO EACH OTHER. WE LOOKED AND SAW NO TFC AND THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY. WE CROSSED 9R AND STARTED DOWN THE PARALLEL TO RWY 27L. GND ASKED US OUR POSITION AND WHEN WE REPLIED 'HOLDING SHORT OF 14R', I THEN REALIZED I HAD CROSSED 27L IN GETTING TO THE PARALLEL! IN PROCEEDING ON TO 27L, GND CLRED US TO CROSS 14R, HOLD SHORT OF THE 'STUB'. THEN LATER, LEFT ON THE STUB, RIGHT ON THE 'OUTER' THEN TO TURN ON THE 'BRANCH' TO FOLLOW AN MLG. WE QUESTIONED HIM AND FOUND HE MEANT AN ACR MLG! I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF AN MLG CALLED THAT. BASICALLY, I MISTAKENLY CROSSED A RWY, THINKING MY FIRST HOLD SHORT POINT WAS 14R ON THE PARALLEL TXWY. NO ACFT WERE ON RWY 27L WHEN WE CROSSED ON THE 9R END. BUT THE LATER USE OF NONSTANDARD PHRASEOLOGY DID NOT HELP AN ALREADY BUSY AND CONFUSING SITUATION. I AM AWARE OF THE INSTRUCTION IN THE AIM THAT SAYS, CLRNC TO A RWY IS NOT CLRNC TO CROSS THAT RWY, BUT I FEEL THAT INSTRUCTION WAS A TRAP HIDDEN IN THE CLRNC WE RECEIVED. CTLRS SHOULD CLEARLY STATE EACH POINT HE EXPECTS YOU TO HOLD, AND SHOULD IDENTIFY ACFT TO FOLLOW BY TYPE, NOT PET NAMES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 139769: THE CREW UNDERSTOOD THAT TO MEAN WE ARE CLRED ACROSS ALL RWYS UP TO BUT INCLUDING 14R. THE CTLR IN FACT WANTED US TO HOLD SHORT OF 9R BUT DID NOT INDICATE HIS WISHES IN HIS TAXI CLRNC.

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.