Narrative:

Received taxi clearance to runway 28C at pit via taxiway V and east. Taxiway V is what used to be the end of runway 28C, but a recent addition now crosses taxiway V over runway 28C about 1700 ft from the departure end of runway 28C. As the aircraft was taxiing we turned onto taxiway V from V5. This should be followed by an immediate left turn onto taxiway east. In the dark and looking down at the ACARS for the takeoff numbers, we missed the turn onto taxiway east and found ourselves crossing runway 28C at V. Once on the other side of 28C we notified ground control that we missed the turn on taxiway east. Ground then cleared us to taxi back across runway 28C at taxiway T then right onto taxiway east to runway 28C. Crews are used to taxiing to runway 28C and crossing runway 28C via taxiway V. The recent lengthening of 28C now allows it to be used for departures, but the habit of going to runway 28L is still strong. In addition, taxiway V to taxiway east is easy to miss at night and if you miss this left turn, you are on runway 28C immediately. This is the intersection with the greatest runway incursion potential at pit. A red stop bar should be installed here to prevent this occurrence in the future. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: this reporter was flying an MD80 and he was engrossed in entering data from the ACARS unit into the FMC when he noticed that the captain had missed the turn to taxiway east and was crossing runway 28C. He reported the situation to the ground controller who mentioned that this happens a lot. The first officer requests that we suggest that a red lighted stop bar be installed on taxiway V in an attempt to eliminate or reduce the number of these incursions. The first officer does not recall seeing the signs in this area or the runway hold lines. This does not mean that there are none he emphasized, it is just not something that he recalls.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH RWY XING. ACR CREW CROSSES A RWY ON THE WAY TO A RWY THAT THEY WERE USED TO USING.

Narrative: RECEIVED TAXI CLRNC TO RWY 28C AT PIT VIA TXWY V AND E. TXWY V IS WHAT USED TO BE THE END OF RWY 28C, BUT A RECENT ADDITION NOW CROSSES TXWY V OVER RWY 28C ABOUT 1700 FT FROM THE DEP END OF RWY 28C. AS THE ACFT WAS TAXIING WE TURNED ONTO TXWY V FROM V5. THIS SHOULD BE FOLLOWED BY AN IMMEDIATE L TURN ONTO TXWY E. IN THE DARK AND LOOKING DOWN AT THE ACARS FOR THE TKOF NUMBERS, WE MISSED THE TURN ONTO TXWY E AND FOUND OURSELVES XING RWY 28C AT V. ONCE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF 28C WE NOTIFIED GND CTL THAT WE MISSED THE TURN ON TXWY E. GND THEN CLRED US TO TAXI BACK ACROSS RWY 28C AT TXWY T THEN R ONTO TXWY E TO RWY 28C. CREWS ARE USED TO TAXIING TO RWY 28C AND XING RWY 28C VIA TXWY V. THE RECENT LENGTHENING OF 28C NOW ALLOWS IT TO BE USED FOR DEPS, BUT THE HABIT OF GOING TO RWY 28L IS STILL STRONG. IN ADDITION, TXWY V TO TXWY E IS EASY TO MISS AT NIGHT AND IF YOU MISS THIS L TURN, YOU ARE ON RWY 28C IMMEDIATELY. THIS IS THE INTXN WITH THE GREATEST RWY INCURSION POTENTIAL AT PIT. A RED STOP BAR SHOULD BE INSTALLED HERE TO PREVENT THIS OCCURRENCE IN THE FUTURE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS RPTR WAS FLYING AN MD80 AND HE WAS ENGROSSED IN ENTERING DATA FROM THE ACARS UNIT INTO THE FMC WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE CAPT HAD MISSED THE TURN TO TXWY E AND WAS XING RWY 28C. HE RPTED THE SIT TO THE GND CTLR WHO MENTIONED THAT THIS HAPPENS A LOT. THE FO REQUESTS THAT WE SUGGEST THAT A RED LIGHTED STOP BAR BE INSTALLED ON TXWY V IN AN ATTEMPT TO ELIMINATE OR REDUCE THE NUMBER OF THESE INCURSIONS. THE FO DOES NOT RECALL SEEING THE SIGNS IN THIS AREA OR THE RWY HOLD LINES. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THERE ARE NONE HE EMPHASIZED, IT IS JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT HE RECALLS.

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.