Narrative:

I am a flight instructor with 4 yrs experience. However, this was my first flight out of bkl. My student was japanese. Language problem -- he had been training at bkl for 3 months, 30 hours. I assumed he was competent with taxi instructions. Bkl has 2 parallel runways. 24R was closed for repairs. ATC cleared us for taxi to 24L. While he was taxiing I was distracted in the cockpit. He taxied onto the active runway! Luckily, no aircraft was on approach. Ground control immediately advised us of our position. I took control of aircraft and cleared the active. After the flight, tower called and expressed his concern. I do not know his actions since. Looking back, I was impressed with this japanese student during our preflight. He was very thorough, disciplined, and motivated. He had extensive academic training, although in aviation he was still a student pilot. His english was marginal during face-to-face conversations. I suspected problems he might have with ATC. His clearance was 'taxi to runway 24R.' he took it literally. My mistake was to assume he was competent. My experience overshadowed my instinct. I got careless. Nothing like this has ever happened before. It could have been a disaster. I then realized that this japanese student understood very little of what was being said. He would not take my previous advice in asking ATC to 'say again.' to him it is a loss of face. I have learned from this. I take the english language for granted. Never again. Also, my vigilance is once again very high. Anything can happen. I must trust my instincts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FOREIGN SPEAKING PLT TRAINEE MISTAKENLY BELIEVED THAT HE WAS CLRED INTO POS OF ASSIGNED TKOF RWY WHEN CLRED TO TAXI TO THE RWY AND DID SO PRIOR TO THE INSTRUCTOR RECOGNIZING THE ERROR.

Narrative: I AM A FLT INSTRUCTOR WITH 4 YRS EXPERIENCE. HOWEVER, THIS WAS MY FIRST FLT OUT OF BKL. MY STUDENT WAS JAPANESE. LANGUAGE PROB -- HE HAD BEEN TRAINING AT BKL FOR 3 MONTHS, 30 HRS. I ASSUMED HE WAS COMPETENT WITH TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. BKL HAS 2 PARALLEL RWYS. 24R WAS CLOSED FOR REPAIRS. ATC CLRED US FOR TAXI TO 24L. WHILE HE WAS TAXIING I WAS DISTRACTED IN THE COCKPIT. HE TAXIED ONTO THE ACTIVE RWY! LUCKILY, NO ACFT WAS ON APCH. GND CTL IMMEDIATELY ADVISED US OF OUR POS. I TOOK CTL OF ACFT AND CLRED THE ACTIVE. AFTER THE FLT, TWR CALLED AND EXPRESSED HIS CONCERN. I DO NOT KNOW HIS ACTIONS SINCE. LOOKING BACK, I WAS IMPRESSED WITH THIS JAPANESE STUDENT DURING OUR PREFLT. HE WAS VERY THOROUGH, DISCIPLINED, AND MOTIVATED. HE HAD EXTENSIVE ACADEMIC TRAINING, ALTHOUGH IN AVIATION HE WAS STILL A STUDENT PLT. HIS ENGLISH WAS MARGINAL DURING FACE-TO-FACE CONVERSATIONS. I SUSPECTED PROBS HE MIGHT HAVE WITH ATC. HIS CLRNC WAS 'TAXI TO RWY 24R.' HE TOOK IT LITERALLY. MY MISTAKE WAS TO ASSUME HE WAS COMPETENT. MY EXPERIENCE OVERSHADOWED MY INSTINCT. I GOT CARELESS. NOTHING LIKE THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED BEFORE. IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER. I THEN REALIZED THAT THIS JAPANESE STUDENT UNDERSTOOD VERY LITTLE OF WHAT WAS BEING SAID. HE WOULD NOT TAKE MY PREVIOUS ADVICE IN ASKING ATC TO 'SAY AGAIN.' TO HIM IT IS A LOSS OF FACE. I HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS. I TAKE THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE FOR GRANTED. NEVER AGAIN. ALSO, MY VIGILANCE IS ONCE AGAIN VERY HIGH. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN. I MUST TRUST MY INSTINCTS.

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.