An air carrier light transport taxied onto a runway without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	261244
Time
Date	199401
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bna
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	261244
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	261248
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My company's policy is to do a radio close out of the flight after the taxi has started. I had contacted ground control and got instructions to taxi to runway 2L, hold short runway 31. I acknowledged, the captain started taxiing and I started my paperwork. I called company on #2 radio and got my close- out numbers and was working on close out when captain called 'clear left.' I looked up and noticed that we were crossing runway 31 and did not remember us being cleared to cross. I said to captain that we were to hold short. Also, at the same time, other aircraft were crossing the same runway at other txwys. Captain notified ground that we may have misunderstood a clearance. Ground control made no remark other than telling us to follow aircraft in front of us, then directed another aircraft to follow us. I think the solution to this event is obvious. When we are in a critical state of flight, i.e., taxi, both pilots should be doing nothing but accomplishing that task. Having 1 pilot with his head down doing mathematical problems and talking on another radio defeats the purpose of having 2 pilots in the aircraft. All book work should be done before aircraft leaves gate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LTT TAXIED ONTO A RWY WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: MY COMPANY'S POLICY IS TO DO A RADIO CLOSE OUT OF THE FLT AFTER THE TAXI HAS STARTED. I HAD CONTACTED GND CTL AND GOT INSTRUCTIONS TO TAXI TO RWY 2L, HOLD SHORT RWY 31. I ACKNOWLEDGED, THE CAPT STARTED TAXIING AND I STARTED MY PAPERWORK. I CALLED COMPANY ON #2 RADIO AND GOT MY CLOSE- OUT NUMBERS AND WAS WORKING ON CLOSE OUT WHEN CAPT CALLED 'CLR L.' I LOOKED UP AND NOTICED THAT WE WERE XING RWY 31 AND DID NOT REMEMBER US BEING CLRED TO CROSS. I SAID TO CAPT THAT WE WERE TO HOLD SHORT. ALSO, AT THE SAME TIME, OTHER ACFT WERE XING THE SAME RWY AT OTHER TXWYS. CAPT NOTIFIED GND THAT WE MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD A CLRNC. GND CTL MADE NO REMARK OTHER THAN TELLING US TO FOLLOW ACFT IN FRONT OF US, THEN DIRECTED ANOTHER ACFT TO FOLLOW US. I THINK THE SOLUTION TO THIS EVENT IS OBVIOUS. WHEN WE ARE IN A CRITICAL STATE OF FLT, I.E., TAXI, BOTH PLTS SHOULD BE DOING NOTHING BUT ACCOMPLISHING THAT TASK. HAVING 1 PLT WITH HIS HEAD DOWN DOING MATHEMATICAL PROBS AND TALKING ON ANOTHER RADIO DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF HAVING 2 PLTS IN THE ACFT. ALL BOOK WORK SHOULD BE DONE BEFORE ACFT LEAVES GATE.

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.