Narrative:

We were told to taxi to runway 6 at stl. Looked at weight page and decided we were too heavy. Asked for runway 12L and we were told to 'taxi to runway 12L via east, that'll be your second right turn'. I taxied 1/2 across runway 12R to see an aircraft on approach coming out of a low ceiling. I added as much power as I dared to expedite across runway 12R. The other aircraft was sent around. I believe coordination and ground control communication broke down as there were different tower frequencys for runways 12L and runway 12R. Scared me. Maybe 'taxi to xyz runway' does not mean cleared across all runways. Comments. Did I look for aircraft on final to runway 12R before crossing? Yes. Did I continue to monitor for aircraft on final during crossing? Yes. Did I honestly believe and hear to taxi to runway 12L west/O a 'hold short' of runway 12L? Yes. Did I believe the ground controller was confident no aircraft was on final to runway 12R? Yes, the controller's tone of voice was jovial and relaxed. It gave me confidence in him and that he had confidence it was clear to cross runway 12R. What do I think of this incident? We're all human and subject to human errors. A second query from me as to 'cleared to cross' might have helped. An alert ground controller would have seen the problem and made an immediate call to 'expedite across runway 12R'. Instead, the first call I received from ground was after I was well clear of runway 12R and I had made the comment to the copilot 'boy that was close'. The ground controller's comment, of course, was 'you were told to hold short of runway 12R'. Well, let's play the tapes back! Callback with reporter revealed following information. Reporter states he did not follow up or phone the facility. Has had no word from FAA. Sure scared him and he will always clarify crossing a runway in the future even though the clearance gave him permission.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CLEARED TO DEP RWY WHICH REQUIRED CROSSING A PARALLEL RWY. HALF WAY ACROSS HE SIGHTED AN ACFT DESCENDING FROM THE OVERCAST. EXPEDITED TAXI, OTHER ACFT GIVEN GO AROUND.

Narrative: WE WERE TOLD TO TAXI TO RWY 6 AT STL. LOOKED AT WT PAGE AND DECIDED WE WERE TOO HEAVY. ASKED FOR RWY 12L AND WE WERE TOLD TO 'TAXI TO RWY 12L VIA E, THAT'LL BE YOUR SECOND R TURN'. I TAXIED 1/2 ACROSS RWY 12R TO SEE AN ACFT ON APCH COMING OUT OF A LOW CEILING. I ADDED AS MUCH PWR AS I DARED TO EXPEDITE ACROSS RWY 12R. THE OTHER ACFT WAS SENT AROUND. I BELIEVE COORD AND GND CTL COM BROKE DOWN AS THERE WERE DIFFERENT TWR FREQS FOR RWYS 12L AND RWY 12R. SCARED ME. MAYBE 'TAXI TO XYZ RWY' DOES NOT MEAN CLRED ACROSS ALL RWYS. COMMENTS. DID I LOOK FOR ACFT ON FINAL TO RWY 12R BEFORE XING? YES. DID I CONTINUE TO MONITOR FOR ACFT ON FINAL DURING XING? YES. DID I HONESTLY BELIEVE AND HEAR TO TAXI TO RWY 12L W/O A 'HOLD SHORT' OF RWY 12L? YES. DID I BELIEVE THE GND CTLR WAS CONFIDENT NO ACFT WAS ON FINAL TO RWY 12R? YES, THE CTLR'S TONE OF VOICE WAS JOVIAL AND RELAXED. IT GAVE ME CONFIDENCE IN HIM AND THAT HE HAD CONFIDENCE IT WAS CLR TO CROSS RWY 12R. WHAT DO I THINK OF THIS INCIDENT? WE'RE ALL HUMAN AND SUBJECT TO HUMAN ERRORS. A SECOND QUERY FROM ME AS TO 'CLRED TO CROSS' MIGHT HAVE HELPED. AN ALERT GND CTLR WOULD HAVE SEEN THE PROB AND MADE AN IMMEDIATE CALL TO 'EXPEDITE ACROSS RWY 12R'. INSTEAD, THE FIRST CALL I RECEIVED FROM GND WAS AFTER I WAS WELL CLR OF RWY 12R AND I HAD MADE THE COMMENT TO THE COPLT 'BOY THAT WAS CLOSE'. THE GND CTLR'S COMMENT, OF COURSE, WAS 'YOU WERE TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 12R'. WELL, LET'S PLAY THE TAPES BACK! CALLBACK WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATES HE DID NOT FOLLOW UP OR PHONE THE FAC. HAS HAD NO WORD FROM FAA. SURE SCARED HIM AND HE WILL ALWAYS CLARIFY XING A RWY IN THE FUTURE EVEN THOUGH THE CLRNC GAVE HIM PERMISSION.

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.