Narrative:

For hard to understand reasons, I deviated from clearly understood taxi instructions from ground control. I was cleared to taxi to runway 19R. This would mean a long, straight taxi down taxiway east. However, in total error, I turned right at taxiway K, as if I had been cleared to runway 32L. I did not realize my error until I entered the run-up area for runway 32L. Then I called ground control, confessed my error and got new directions to runway 19R. By using the wrong taxiway and going to the wrong run-up area I had crossed the active runway (19R). However, I did carefully look for traffic, in the air and on the ground, as I always do. There was no traffic. I had worked hard prior to the flight to plan in detail and file 3 VFR flight plans. My head was filled with routes, fixes, times, headings and frequencys. When I finally started my taxi down taxiway east, after lots of preparation, I must have relaxed as I watched a small group of people (and a vehicle) service a helicopter just to the west of the intersection of txwys east and K. At the same time, I was listening too attentively to the ground controller deal with 2 piper airplanes on the ground somewhere, that had very similar (possibly identical) last 3 digit call signs. As he sorted out the fact that he was dealing with two different airplanes, he was assigning them temporary, very different call signs. As soon as I realized that I was in the wrong run-up area, I called the ground controller and told him what I had done. He instantly understood what had happened. He confessed that he had been distracted (with the 2 pipers) and had not seen what I was doing. He was as shocked as I was. He very firmly admonished me, 'not to do that kind of thing in the future.' I never will.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PVT PLT IN A C172 TAXIES TO RWY 32L AT CCR WHEN HE HAD BEEN CLRED TO RWY 19R. A RWY INCURSION WAS PERFORMED IN THE PROCESS OF THE TAXI.

Narrative: FOR HARD TO UNDERSTAND REASONS, I DEVIATED FROM CLRLY UNDERSTOOD TAXI INSTRUCTIONS FROM GND CTL. I WAS CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 19R. THIS WOULD MEAN A LONG, STRAIGHT TAXI DOWN TXWY E. HOWEVER, IN TOTAL ERROR, I TURNED R AT TXWY K, AS IF I HAD BEEN CLRED TO RWY 32L. I DID NOT REALIZE MY ERROR UNTIL I ENTERED THE RUN-UP AREA FOR RWY 32L. THEN I CALLED GND CTL, CONFESSED MY ERROR AND GOT NEW DIRECTIONS TO RWY 19R. BY USING THE WRONG TXWY AND GOING TO THE WRONG RUN-UP AREA I HAD CROSSED THE ACTIVE RWY (19R). HOWEVER, I DID CAREFULLY LOOK FOR TFC, IN THE AIR AND ON THE GND, AS I ALWAYS DO. THERE WAS NO TFC. I HAD WORKED HARD PRIOR TO THE FLT TO PLAN IN DETAIL AND FILE 3 VFR FLT PLANS. MY HEAD WAS FILLED WITH ROUTES, FIXES, TIMES, HEADINGS AND FREQS. WHEN I FINALLY STARTED MY TAXI DOWN TXWY E, AFTER LOTS OF PREPARATION, I MUST HAVE RELAXED AS I WATCHED A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE (AND A VEHICLE) SVC A HELI JUST TO THE W OF THE INTXN OF TXWYS E AND K. AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS LISTENING TOO ATTENTIVELY TO THE GND CTLR DEAL WITH 2 PIPER AIRPLANES ON THE GND SOMEWHERE, THAT HAD VERY SIMILAR (POSSIBLY IDENTICAL) LAST 3 DIGIT CALL SIGNS. AS HE SORTED OUT THE FACT THAT HE WAS DEALING WITH TWO DIFFERENT AIRPLANES, HE WAS ASSIGNING THEM TEMPORARY, VERY DIFFERENT CALL SIGNS. AS SOON AS I REALIZED THAT I WAS IN THE WRONG RUN-UP AREA, I CALLED THE GND CTLR AND TOLD HIM WHAT I HAD DONE. HE INSTANTLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT HAD HAPPENED. HE CONFESSED THAT HE HAD BEEN DISTRACTED (WITH THE 2 PIPERS) AND HAD NOT SEEN WHAT I WAS DOING. HE WAS AS SHOCKED AS I WAS. HE VERY FIRMLY ADMONISHED ME, 'NOT TO DO THAT KIND OF THING IN THE FUTURE.' I NEVER WILL.

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.