Unauthorized runway crossing due to understood clearance to do so.

Attributes
ACN	141343
Time
Date	199003
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 2850 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	141343
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

While taxiing to runway 9L at ord ground control handed us over to tower and at the same time told us to hold short of 14R. We got to the holding line for 14R and stopped. I then asked the tower if we were cleared to cross 14R. The response we got was 'sure' which was understood by both of us and a check airman who was in the jumpseat. So we proceeded to cross 14R. The controller then got on the radio and said that we were not cleared to cross. I replied 'I asked and you said 'sure'.' he answered that is not standard phraseology ('sure'). The rest of the flight was uneventful. However, as we were taxiing the rest of the way out, that same controller was using other nonstandard phraseology such as 'air carrier X chase the 'bird' across.' I would also like to add that nonstandard phraseology is common at ord. Even when it is busy. We should not have accepted 'sure' as a clearance to cross. But if you insist on standard phraseology at ord it could cause a disruption in the flow of things and at times the controller is so busy there is no time for the pilot to acknowledge many of the controller's xmissions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH RWY CROSSING DUE TO UNDERSTOOD CLRNC TO DO SO.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING TO RWY 9L AT ORD GND CTL HANDED US OVER TO TWR AND AT THE SAME TIME TOLD US TO HOLD SHORT OF 14R. WE GOT TO THE HOLDING LINE FOR 14R AND STOPPED. I THEN ASKED THE TWR IF WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS 14R. THE RESPONSE WE GOT WAS 'SURE' WHICH WAS UNDERSTOOD BY BOTH OF US AND A CHECK AIRMAN WHO WAS IN THE JUMPSEAT. SO WE PROCEEDED TO CROSS 14R. THE CTLR THEN GOT ON THE RADIO AND SAID THAT WE WERE NOT CLRED TO CROSS. I REPLIED 'I ASKED AND YOU SAID 'SURE'.' HE ANSWERED THAT IS NOT STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY ('SURE'). THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. HOWEVER, AS WE WERE TAXIING THE REST OF THE WAY OUT, THAT SAME CTLR WAS USING OTHER NONSTANDARD PHRASEOLOGY SUCH AS 'ACR X CHASE THE 'BIRD' ACROSS.' I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT NONSTANDARD PHRASEOLOGY IS COMMON AT ORD. EVEN WHEN IT IS BUSY. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE ACCEPTED 'SURE' AS A CLRNC TO CROSS. BUT IF YOU INSIST ON STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY AT ORD IT COULD CAUSE A DISRUPTION IN THE FLOW OF THINGS AND AT TIMES THE CTLR IS SO BUSY THERE IS NO TIME FOR THE PLT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MANY OF THE CTLR'S XMISSIONS.

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.