Narrative:

Due to a mechanic problem, we departed the concourse slightly behind schedule, but with enough time to get the aircraft back on schedule. Things became a little rushed at the last min, while considering if all MEL items were being complied with while getting our clearance. The ATIS was announcing that runway 18L and 18R, plus 23 were the active runways. Ramp control direct us to spot and then to contact ground. Ground control directed us to taxi to runway 18L which would have been an immediate left turn and a short taxi. In the rush I heard but not the 18 part. Even though the ATIS said runway 18L was the active and the controller directed us to runway 18L, I heard and visualized 36L. This may have been because spot lined us up with right taxiway that led to runway 36L. I reasoned that they must have changed the active runway and headed towards runway 36L. This involved crossing runway 23 which they were using for lndgs. I told the copilot to clear the other direction while I cleared runway 23 and xed on taxiway right. After crossing the runway ground control asked me where I was going. The copilot and I then realized our error and proceeded to runway 18L. Although there was no conflict involved in crossing runway 23 and we cleared in both directions, we still had planned on the wrong runway. The lesson I learned from this was when you're feeling a bit tired (I woke that morning at xx am to begin the trip), that's the time to pay closer attention to detail and not fall into complacency. Supplemental information from acn 156279. I was 'heads down' consulting the checklist at the time unable to point out his 'mistake' in time. I say 'mistake' in quotations because ATC did not specify a particular routing to reach runway 18L. I'm not saying our actions were logical. The captain admitted taxiing on a misconception of the assigned runway and I can relate to him because I too must try to keep up with 168 different airports in our system.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW TAXIES TO THE WRONG RWY AT CLT AND EXPERIENCES A RWY INCURSION.

Narrative: DUE TO A MECH PROB, WE DEPARTED THE CONCOURSE SLIGHTLY BEHIND SCHEDULE, BUT WITH ENOUGH TIME TO GET THE ACFT BACK ON SCHEDULE. THINGS BECAME A LITTLE RUSHED AT THE LAST MIN, WHILE CONSIDERING IF ALL MEL ITEMS WERE BEING COMPLIED WITH WHILE GETTING OUR CLRNC. THE ATIS WAS ANNOUNCING THAT RWY 18L AND 18R, PLUS 23 WERE THE ACTIVE RWYS. RAMP CTL DIRECT US TO SPOT AND THEN TO CONTACT GND. GND CTL DIRECTED US TO TAXI TO RWY 18L WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN AN IMMEDIATE L TURN AND A SHORT TAXI. IN THE RUSH I HEARD BUT NOT THE 18 PART. EVEN THOUGH THE ATIS SAID RWY 18L WAS THE ACTIVE AND THE CTLR DIRECTED US TO RWY 18L, I HEARD AND VISUALIZED 36L. THIS MAY HAVE BEEN BECAUSE SPOT LINED US UP WITH R TXWY THAT LED TO RWY 36L. I REASONED THAT THEY MUST HAVE CHANGED THE ACTIVE RWY AND HEADED TOWARDS RWY 36L. THIS INVOLVED XING RWY 23 WHICH THEY WERE USING FOR LNDGS. I TOLD THE COPLT TO CLR THE OTHER DIRECTION WHILE I CLRED RWY 23 AND XED ON TXWY R. AFTER XING THE RWY GND CTL ASKED ME WHERE I WAS GOING. THE COPLT AND I THEN REALIZED OUR ERROR AND PROCEEDED TO RWY 18L. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO CONFLICT INVOLVED IN XING RWY 23 AND WE CLRED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, WE STILL HAD PLANNED ON THE WRONG RWY. THE LESSON I LEARNED FROM THIS WAS WHEN YOU'RE FEELING A BIT TIRED (I WOKE THAT MORNING AT XX AM TO BEGIN THE TRIP), THAT'S THE TIME TO PAY CLOSER ATTN TO DETAIL AND NOT FALL INTO COMPLACENCY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 156279. I WAS 'HEADS DOWN' CONSULTING THE CHKLIST AT THE TIME UNABLE TO POINT OUT HIS 'MISTAKE' IN TIME. I SAY 'MISTAKE' IN QUOTATIONS BECAUSE ATC DID NOT SPECIFY A PARTICULAR RTING TO REACH RWY 18L. I'M NOT SAYING OUR ACTIONS WERE LOGICAL. THE CAPT ADMITTED TAXIING ON A MISCONCEPTION OF THE ASSIGNED RWY AND I CAN RELATE TO HIM BECAUSE I TOO MUST TRY TO KEEP UP WITH 168 DIFFERENT ARPTS IN OUR SYS.

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.