Narrative:

Our aircraft was cleared onto runway 28 to hold short of runway 23L. Runway 28 was also being used for takeoff. Clearance was read back by first officer. Captain called for before takeoff checklist. The aircraft was stopped on runway 28. Captain and first officer noticed emb-120 cross threshold and land on runway 23L. Captain then taxied onto runway 23L. Captain and first officer both noticed B-737 on final and made mention of it. First officer then asked if flight was cleared for takeoff. Tower advised that flight had not been cleared onto runway 23L. Tower told B-737 to go around and later cleared for takeoff. Both captain and first officer thought flight was cleared into position runway 23L and acknowledged by first officer. But flight was not cleared onto runway 23L. Somehow, with the clearance into position on runway 28 to hold short of runway 23L and the before takeoff checklist, confusion resulted and the flight taxied onto runway 23L without clearance. I think there are 2 problem areas. 1) I would recommend that no clrncs onto one active runway to hold short of another active runway be given. This puts crew into precarious situation where they are not on taxiway and they are not on the active runway for takeoff. 2) I would recommend our airline change their before takeoff checklist. I recommend instead of PA for flight attendants to be seated, 2 chimes be given. It would take less time and first officer would not be removed from loop at this critical time. I have given considerable thought as to what might have been said to cause confusion and nothing can be verified, ie, another aircraft clearance to hold or landing clearance. Something must have cued us but we have no proof.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY TRANSGRESSION. ACFT TAXIED ON RWY WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: OUR ACFT WAS CLRED ONTO RWY 28 TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 23L. RWY 28 WAS ALSO BEING USED FOR TKOF. CLRNC WAS READ BACK BY FO. CAPT CALLED FOR BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST. THE ACFT WAS STOPPED ON RWY 28. CAPT AND FO NOTICED EMB-120 CROSS THRESHOLD AND LAND ON RWY 23L. CAPT THEN TAXIED ONTO RWY 23L. CAPT AND FO BOTH NOTICED B-737 ON FINAL AND MADE MENTION OF IT. FO THEN ASKED IF FLT WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. TWR ADVISED THAT FLT HAD NOT BEEN CLRED ONTO RWY 23L. TWR TOLD B-737 TO GAR AND LATER CLRED FOR TKOF. BOTH CAPT AND FO THOUGHT FLT WAS CLRED INTO POS RWY 23L AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY FO. BUT FLT WAS NOT CLRED ONTO RWY 23L. SOMEHOW, WITH THE CLRNC INTO POS ON RWY 28 TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 23L AND THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST, CONFUSION RESULTED AND THE FLT TAXIED ONTO RWY 23L WITHOUT CLRNC. I THINK THERE ARE 2 PROB AREAS. 1) I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT NO CLRNCS ONTO ONE ACTIVE RWY TO HOLD SHORT OF ANOTHER ACTIVE RWY BE GIVEN. THIS PUTS CREW INTO PRECARIOUS SIT WHERE THEY ARE NOT ON TXWY AND THEY ARE NOT ON THE ACTIVE RWY FOR TKOF. 2) I WOULD RECOMMEND OUR AIRLINE CHANGE THEIR BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST. I RECOMMEND INSTEAD OF PA FOR FLT ATTENDANTS TO BE SEATED, 2 CHIMES BE GIVEN. IT WOULD TAKE LESS TIME AND FO WOULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM LOOP AT THIS CRITICAL TIME. I HAVE GIVEN CONSIDERABLE THOUGHT AS TO WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SAID TO CAUSE CONFUSION AND NOTHING CAN BE VERIFIED, IE, ANOTHER ACFT CLRNC TO HOLD OR LNDG CLRNC. SOMETHING MUST HAVE CUED US BUT WE HAVE NO PROOF.

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.