Flight crew inadvertently taxies onto active runway in the process of taxiing to that runway.

Attributes
ACN	320995
Time
Date	199511
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ind
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
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 : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 627
ASRS Report	320995
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 165 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 145
ASRS Report	320988
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Called for taxi on indy ground control. Cleared to taxi to runway 05L. I remarked to the first officer that 'we'll just turn left on taxiway a and taxi to the end for runway 05L.' began the taxi checklist. I turned left off the ramp on what I thought was taxiway a. We were actually on runway 05L as the first officer stated 'we're on the runway.' I immediately said 'tell ground we're on the runway and exiting immediately.' ground rogered and we exited runway 05L via a right 180 degree turn and returned to taxi on taxiway a. A piper cherokee had just completed a touch and go as we noticed we were on the active runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC INADVERTENTLY TAXIES ONTO ACTIVE RWY IN THE PROCESS OF TAXIING TO THAT RWY.

Narrative: CALLED FOR TAXI ON INDY GND CTL. CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 05L. I REMARKED TO THE FO THAT 'WE'LL JUST TURN L ON TXWY A AND TAXI TO THE END FOR RWY 05L.' BEGAN THE TAXI CHKLIST. I TURNED L OFF THE RAMP ON WHAT I THOUGHT WAS TXWY A. WE WERE ACTUALLY ON RWY 05L AS THE FO STATED 'WE'RE ON THE RWY.' I IMMEDIATELY SAID 'TELL GND WE'RE ON THE RWY AND EXITING IMMEDIATELY.' GND ROGERED AND WE EXITED RWY 05L VIA A R 180 DEG TURN AND RETURNED TO TAXI ON TXWY A. A PIPER CHEROKEE HAD JUST COMPLETED A TOUCH AND GO AS WE NOTICED WE WERE ON THE ACTIVE RWY.

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.