Flight crew taxi instructions given but no specific routing. When about to cross runway, told to use...

Attributes
ACN	147241
Time
Date	199006
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdw
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	147241
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared from alpha concourse to taxi to runway 13R (hold short of runway 13L). We were going to taxi e-w and right on romeo to runway 13R. The controller didn't specify routing. However, he apparently wanted us to go via echo, papa, and north ramp to runway 13R. He told us to go ahead in front of an act holding for us. We thought he cleared us to taxi and started across runway 13L. Just as we got on runway 13L he told us to stop and turn off that runway and gave us instructions via echo, papa and north ramp hold short of runway 13L. We did that. He told us that there was 'no problem and no need of any reports'. I called midway tower after landing. The supervisor on duty said there was no problem. We had a communications problem between pilots and controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW TAXI INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BUT NO SPECIFIC ROUTING. WHEN ABOUT TO CROSS RWY, TOLD TO USE SPECIFIC TAXIWAYS.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FROM ALPHA CONCOURSE TO TAXI TO RWY 13R (HOLD SHORT OF RWY 13L). WE WERE GOING TO TAXI E-W AND R ON ROMEO TO RWY 13R. THE CTLR DIDN'T SPECIFY RTING. HOWEVER, HE APPARENTLY WANTED US TO GO VIA ECHO, PAPA, AND N RAMP TO RWY 13R. HE TOLD US TO GO AHEAD IN FRONT OF AN ACT HOLDING FOR US. WE THOUGHT HE CLRED US TO TAXI AND STARTED ACROSS RWY 13L. JUST AS WE GOT ON RWY 13L HE TOLD US TO STOP AND TURN OFF THAT RWY AND GAVE US INSTRUCTIONS VIA ECHO, PAPA AND N RAMP HOLD SHORT OF RWY 13L. WE DID THAT. HE TOLD US THAT THERE WAS 'NO PROB AND NO NEED OF ANY RPTS'. I CALLED MIDWAY TWR AFTER LNDG. THE SUPVR ON DUTY SAID THERE WAS NO PROB. WE HAD A COMS PROB BTWN PLTS AND CTLR.

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.

Flight crew taxi instructions given but no specific routing. When about to cross runway, told to use specific taxiways.