Small aircraft receiving progressive taxi instructions crosses an active runway.

Attributes
ACN	141340
Time
Date	199003
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bwi
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 47 flight time total : 1680 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	141340
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On contacting st louis approach I became aware that traffic was heavy as approach control asked me to try to maintain 170 KTS to the marker. This was impossible for me in an small aircraft, however, I did maintain 160 to the marker as well as 130 on the glide slope. I was cleared to land 12R. I broke out just at minimums and on landing was told to turn left on taxiway and contact ground. I contacted ground control and asked for progressive taxi instructions to FBO and stated I was unfamiliar with the field. After being given instructions by ground control, I did what I understood him to say, although from a few previous experiences with progressive taxi instructions I expected him to monitor my actions as I had stated I was unfamiliar with the field. While I thought I was following ground control's instructions I crossed runway 6 which was active and being used by air carrier for takeoff. I saw the plane coming down the runway and since I had already started across the runway I elected to hurry across instead of doing a 180. I was then advised by ground control that I had crossed an active runway. After being instructed to do a 180 I was given a phone number to call the tower after I had shut down. I complied with this request. The WX was a contributing factor. My expectation of progressive taxi instructions being more than was actually provided was another factor, and traffic being heavy was probably another factor. I feel the ground controller should have monitored my progress to see that I was doing what he expected. However, since I was handling the brakes and throttle I feel that I was partly at fault for not paying more attention to signs along the taxiway. I believe the accident had a 60/40 blame and since I was PIC and could have stopped at any time, I accept the 60. As to the prevention of recurrence, I will not go to an unfamiliar field with that much traffic when the WX is at absolute minimums unless accompanied by another qualified pilot. I also think ground controllers should pay more attention when a pilot not only asks for progressive taxi instructions but states he is unfamiliar with the field. While at this time I have not heard the tapes, that is, to the best of my knowledge, how I remember the incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA RECEIVING PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS CROSSES AN ACTIVE RWY.

Narrative: ON CONTACTING ST LOUIS APCH I BECAME AWARE THAT TFC WAS HEAVY AS APCH CTL ASKED ME TO TRY TO MAINTAIN 170 KTS TO THE MARKER. THIS WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME IN AN SMA, HOWEVER, I DID MAINTAIN 160 TO THE MARKER AS WELL AS 130 ON THE GLIDE SLOPE. I WAS CLRED TO LAND 12R. I BROKE OUT JUST AT MINIMUMS AND ON LNDG WAS TOLD TO TURN LEFT ON TXWY AND CONTACT GND. I CONTACTED GND CTL AND ASKED FOR PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO FBO AND STATED I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE FIELD. AFTER BEING GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS BY GND CTL, I DID WHAT I UNDERSTOOD HIM TO SAY, ALTHOUGH FROM A FEW PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES WITH PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS I EXPECTED HIM TO MONITOR MY ACTIONS AS I HAD STATED I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE FIELD. WHILE I THOUGHT I WAS FOLLOWING GND CTL'S INSTRUCTIONS I CROSSED RWY 6 WHICH WAS ACTIVE AND BEING USED BY ACR FOR TKOF. I SAW THE PLANE COMING DOWN THE RWY AND SINCE I HAD ALREADY STARTED ACROSS THE RWY I ELECTED TO HURRY ACROSS INSTEAD OF DOING A 180. I WAS THEN ADVISED BY GND CTL THAT I HAD CROSSED AN ACTIVE RWY. AFTER BEING INSTRUCTED TO DO A 180 I WAS GIVEN A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL THE TWR AFTER I HAD SHUT DOWN. I COMPLIED WITH THIS REQUEST. THE WX WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. MY EXPECTATION OF PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS BEING MORE THAN WAS ACTUALLY PROVIDED WAS ANOTHER FACTOR, AND TFC BEING HEAVY WAS PROBABLY ANOTHER FACTOR. I FEEL THE GND CTLR SHOULD HAVE MONITORED MY PROGRESS TO SEE THAT I WAS DOING WHAT HE EXPECTED. HOWEVER, SINCE I WAS HANDLING THE BRAKES AND THROTTLE I FEEL THAT I WAS PARTLY AT FAULT FOR NOT PAYING MORE ATTN TO SIGNS ALONG THE TXWY. I BELIEVE THE ACCIDENT HAD A 60/40 BLAME AND SINCE I WAS PIC AND COULD HAVE STOPPED AT ANY TIME, I ACCEPT THE 60. AS TO THE PREVENTION OF RECURRENCE, I WILL NOT GO TO AN UNFAMILIAR FIELD WITH THAT MUCH TFC WHEN THE WX IS AT ABSOLUTE MINIMUMS UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY ANOTHER QUALIFIED PLT. I ALSO THINK GND CTLRS SHOULD PAY MORE ATTN WHEN A PLT NOT ONLY ASKS FOR PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS BUT STATES HE IS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE FIELD. WHILE AT THIS TIME I HAVE NOT HEARD THE TAPES, THAT IS, TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, HOW I REMEMBER THE INCIDENT.

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.