Unauthorized runway entry crossing. Runway incursion.

Attributes
ACN	206322
Time
Date	199203
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : buf
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cwa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
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 : 150 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	206322
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Aircraft was cleared to taxi, very simply, to the active runway with no amplifying instructions. As the captain taxiing. I immediately assumed that that implied I was cleared to cross all runways on the way to the active runway. Unfortunately, this entailed crossing the active runway I was cleared to taxi to. In all my experience, I believe this was the first time that I was not told to hold short of the active runway. I admit that I had, in fact, forgotten, that a clearance to taxi allows the crossing of all runways 'except' the active. I believe this was due to my operating out of much busier airports on a regular basis (such as boston logan and ny's big 3) where 'hold short' instructions are the norm. Fortunately, I was cautious while crossing, there was no other airport traffic relevant and no other aircraft taxiing. The controller informed me once across, that at buffalo we don't do that. There is much disparity in taxi instructions between airports, which sometimes causes confusion. Due to large differences in traffic, I don't think a totally standardized taxi procedure is possible. But I think there is room for improvement. At a time where runway incursion is at a high, I do feel a reminder to 'hold short' by all controllers can't hurt.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTHORIZED RWY ENTRY XING. RWY INCURSION.

Narrative: ACFT WAS CLRED TO TAXI, VERY SIMPLY, TO THE ACTIVE RWY WITH NO AMPLIFYING INSTRUCTIONS. AS THE CAPT TAXIING. I IMMEDIATELY ASSUMED THAT THAT IMPLIED I WAS CLRED TO CROSS ALL RWYS ON THE WAY TO THE ACTIVE RWY. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS ENTAILED XING THE ACTIVE RWY I WAS CLRED TO TAXI TO. IN ALL MY EXPERIENCE, I BELIEVE THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I WAS NOT TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF THE ACTIVE RWY. I ADMIT THAT I HAD, IN FACT, FORGOTTEN, THAT A CLRNC TO TAXI ALLOWS THE XING OF ALL RWYS 'EXCEPT' THE ACTIVE. I BELIEVE THIS WAS DUE TO MY OPERATING OUT OF MUCH BUSIER ARPTS ON A REGULAR BASIS (SUCH AS BOSTON LOGAN AND NY'S BIG 3) WHERE 'HOLD SHORT' INSTRUCTIONS ARE THE NORM. FORTUNATELY, I WAS CAUTIOUS WHILE XING, THERE WAS NO OTHER ARPT TFC RELEVANT AND NO OTHER ACFT TAXIING. THE CTLR INFORMED ME ONCE ACROSS, THAT AT BUFFALO WE DON'T DO THAT. THERE IS MUCH DISPARITY IN TAXI INSTRUCTIONS BTWN ARPTS, WHICH SOMETIMES CAUSES CONFUSION. DUE TO LARGE DIFFERENCES IN TFC, I DON'T THINK A TOTALLY STANDARDIZED TAXI PROC IS POSSIBLE. BUT I THINK THERE IS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. AT A TIME WHERE RWY INCURSION IS AT A HIGH, I DO FEEL A REMINDER TO 'HOLD SHORT' BY ALL CTLRS CAN'T HURT.

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.