Narrative:

While at hartsfield, atlanta (atl) our taxi clearance from the GA ramp was to taxi to 27R, hold short of 26R at delta/dixie. Upon reaching delta, we were cleared to immediately cross 26R. An airlines flight was on short final. We accelerated promptly to cross 26R, however our clearance did not specify whether or not to cross 26L. Rather than cross that runway illegally, I chose to clarify the clearance with ground control. Apparently, ground had cleared another aircraft to cross both runways that was behind us. Due to this, and our stopping to clarify the clearance for the parallel runway, the aircraft on final was forced to go around. The factors contributing to this incident in my belief are as follows: failure of the controller to clear us across both runways, as apparently is the usual case. Due to lack of familiarity with the procedure and the airport, our decision not to question the clearance until already across the one runway. ATC clearing 2 aircraft across an active runway, with the lead aircraft an small aircraft and the trailing aircraft an light transport. Lack of recognition by both pilot and controller of the amount of time required to safely transit the 2 runways in a light single engine aircraft. The total distance to clear both runways from our original position was nearly 1/4 mi. Pilot's failure to emphasize that they were unfamiliar with the airport/airport procedures. The coincidence that at least 3 aircraft were exiting the GA ramp at the same time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA CAUSES A GND CONFLICT THAT FORCES AN ACR TO GAR FROM SHORT FINAL AT ATL RWY 26R.

Narrative: WHILE AT HARTSFIELD, ATLANTA (ATL) OUR TAXI CLRNC FROM THE GA RAMP WAS TO TAXI TO 27R, HOLD SHORT OF 26R AT DELTA/DIXIE. UPON REACHING DELTA, WE WERE CLRED TO IMMEDIATELY CROSS 26R. AN AIRLINES FLT WAS ON SHORT FINAL. WE ACCELERATED PROMPTLY TO CROSS 26R, HOWEVER OUR CLRNC DID NOT SPECIFY WHETHER OR NOT TO CROSS 26L. RATHER THAN CROSS THAT RWY ILLEGALLY, I CHOSE TO CLARIFY THE CLRNC WITH GND CTL. APPARENTLY, GND HAD CLRED ANOTHER ACFT TO CROSS BOTH RWYS THAT WAS BEHIND US. DUE TO THIS, AND OUR STOPPING TO CLARIFY THE CLRNC FOR THE PARALLEL RWY, THE ACFT ON FINAL WAS FORCED TO GAR. THE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS INCIDENT IN MY BELIEF ARE AS FOLLOWS: FAILURE OF THE CTLR TO CLR US ACROSS BOTH RWYS, AS APPARENTLY IS THE USUAL CASE. DUE TO LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE PROC AND THE ARPT, OUR DECISION NOT TO QUESTION THE CLRNC UNTIL ALREADY ACROSS THE ONE RWY. ATC CLRING 2 ACFT ACROSS AN ACTIVE RWY, WITH THE LEAD ACFT AN SMA AND THE TRAILING ACFT AN LTT. LACK OF RECOGNITION BY BOTH PLT AND CTLR OF THE AMOUNT OF TIME REQUIRED TO SAFELY TRANSIT THE 2 RWYS IN A LIGHT SINGLE ENG ACFT. THE TOTAL DISTANCE TO CLR BOTH RWYS FROM OUR ORIGINAL POS WAS NEARLY 1/4 MI. PLT'S FAILURE TO EMPHASIZE THAT THEY WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT/ARPT PROCS. THE COINCIDENCE THAT AT LEAST 3 ACFT WERE EXITING THE GA RAMP AT THE SAME TIME.

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.