GA small aircraft failed to hold short of active runway even after being cleared to hold short.

Attributes
ACN	194345
Time
Date	199111
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pae
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dfw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	landing other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 624 flight time type : 320
ASRS Report	194345
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was preparing for a night takeoff, northbound. ATIS announced runways 34L and 34R were active, nothing unordinary. My initial call to ground: 'paine ground, aircraft identification at (FBO parking), taxi for north departure with (ATIS code).' ground: 'roger, taxi runway 34R, hold short runway 34R.' 'roger, taxi to 34R and hold short.' what the controller meant, however, was that I was expected to hold prior to crossing the runway en route to the approach end of 34R due to landing traffic. We both misunderstood each other and I proceeded to cross the runway at the north end. The landing aircraft was just touching down as I crossed in front of him, with an estimated 2000 plus ft clearance. I feel that the controller's taxi clearance was ambiguous as to where I was to hold short, and I should have been more vigilant of other aircraft to back up the controller's eyes. Reduced visibility (night) was a contributing factor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA FAILED TO HOLD SHORT OF ACTIVE RWY EVEN AFTER BEING CLRED TO HOLD SHORT.

Narrative: I WAS PREPARING FOR A NIGHT TKOF, NBOUND. ATIS ANNOUNCED RWYS 34L AND 34R WERE ACTIVE, NOTHING UNORDINARY. MY INITIAL CALL TO GND: 'PAINE GND, ACFT ID AT (FBO PARKING), TAXI FOR N DEP WITH (ATIS CODE).' GND: 'ROGER, TAXI RWY 34R, HOLD SHORT RWY 34R.' 'ROGER, TAXI TO 34R AND HOLD SHORT.' WHAT THE CTLR MEANT, HOWEVER, WAS THAT I WAS EXPECTED TO HOLD PRIOR TO XING THE RWY ENRTE TO THE APCH END OF 34R DUE TO LNDG TFC. WE BOTH MISUNDERSTOOD EACH OTHER AND I PROCEEDED TO CROSS THE RWY AT THE N END. THE LNDG ACFT WAS JUST TOUCHING DOWN AS I CROSSED IN FRONT OF HIM, WITH AN ESTIMATED 2000 PLUS FT CLRNC. I FEEL THAT THE CTLR'S TAXI CLRNC WAS AMBIGUOUS AS TO WHERE I WAS TO HOLD SHORT, AND I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE VIGILANT OF OTHER ACFT TO BACK UP THE CTLR'S EYES. REDUCED VISIBILITY (NIGHT) WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

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.