Taxied onto runway 17 without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	166903
Time
Date	199101
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : azo
State Reference	MI
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	166903
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	166973
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Taxiing from the terminal area to runway 17. Cleared to the runway no specific route we taxied onto the active on C taxiway. Tower immediately informed us and then cleared us 'into position, advise when ready.' we had stopped short of the runway 17 at taxi 'C' confused as to which way next. The first officer was picking up a clearance, when I questioned him he agreed we needed to taxi ahead and consequently onto the active. We had just dealt with a mechanic problem prior to taxi, and during taxi we lost our steering. Having corrected the steering and doing checklists while taxiing 'may' have distraction us. In addition the ramp and txwys were snow covered and markings were poor. No holding lines could be seen at the incursion point and no runway signs or taxi signs could be seen. Snow drifts obstructed the view of most signs. Crew should have asked the controller which way next, rather than assume, and will from now on. Runway and txwys should have been marked more clearly and consistently with other airports. Crew had been on a 'stand up' continuous duty overnight with 6 hours sleep.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TAXIED ONTO RWY 17 WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: TAXIING FROM THE TERMINAL AREA TO RWY 17. CLRED TO THE RWY NO SPECIFIC RTE WE TAXIED ONTO THE ACTIVE ON C TXWY. TWR IMMEDIATELY INFORMED US AND THEN CLRED US 'INTO POS, ADVISE WHEN READY.' WE HAD STOPPED SHORT OF THE RWY 17 AT TAXI 'C' CONFUSED AS TO WHICH WAY NEXT. THE F/O WAS PICKING UP A CLRNC, WHEN I QUESTIONED HIM HE AGREED WE NEEDED TO TAXI AHEAD AND CONSEQUENTLY ONTO THE ACTIVE. WE HAD JUST DEALT WITH A MECH PROB PRIOR TO TAXI, AND DURING TAXI WE LOST OUR STEERING. HAVING CORRECTED THE STEERING AND DOING CHKLISTS WHILE TAXIING 'MAY' HAVE DISTR US. IN ADDITION THE RAMP AND TXWYS WERE SNOW COVERED AND MARKINGS WERE POOR. NO HOLDING LINES COULD BE SEEN AT THE INCURSION POINT AND NO RWY SIGNS OR TAXI SIGNS COULD BE SEEN. SNOW DRIFTS OBSTRUCTED THE VIEW OF MOST SIGNS. CREW SHOULD HAVE ASKED THE CTLR WHICH WAY NEXT, RATHER THAN ASSUME, AND WILL FROM NOW ON. RWY AND TXWYS SHOULD HAVE BEEN MARKED MORE CLRLY AND CONSISTENTLY WITH OTHER ARPTS. CREW HAD BEEN ON A 'STAND UP' CONTINUOUS DUTY OVERNIGHT WITH 6 HRS SLEEP.

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.