Narrative:

Entered ramp area without proper authority/authorized. Landed runway 1R, received taxi clearance from ground (thought to be -- taxiway K, taxiway a, hold short of taxiway A1, to contact ramp). After turning onto taxiway a past taxiway A5, but short of taxiway A4, finally got hold of ramp control. (They were very busy, frequency congestion.) ramp informed us our clearance limit was hold short of taxiway A5. Factors of this occurrence: 1) unfamiliarity of iad airport, ie, ramp boundaries. 2) frequency congestion on ground and ramp. 3) nighttime. 4) distraction in cockpit, dealing with mechanical issues. 5) fatigue, tiredness of captain and first officer. Long day, late night.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B737-200 FAILED TO HOLD SHORT AT THE DESIGNATED TXWY INTXN DURING TAXI IN.

Narrative: ENTERED RAMP AREA WITHOUT PROPER AUTH. LANDED RWY 1R, RECEIVED TAXI CLRNC FROM GND (THOUGHT TO BE -- TXWY K, TXWY A, HOLD SHORT OF TXWY A1, TO CONTACT RAMP). AFTER TURNING ONTO TXWY A PAST TXWY A5, BUT SHORT OF TXWY A4, FINALLY GOT HOLD OF RAMP CTL. (THEY WERE VERY BUSY, FREQ CONGESTION.) RAMP INFORMED US OUR CLRNC LIMIT WAS HOLD SHORT OF TXWY A5. FACTORS OF THIS OCCURRENCE: 1) UNFAMILIARITY OF IAD ARPT, IE, RAMP BOUNDARIES. 2) FREQ CONGESTION ON GND AND RAMP. 3) NIGHTTIME. 4) DISTR IN COCKPIT, DEALING WITH MECHANICAL ISSUES. 5) FATIGUE, TIREDNESS OF CAPT AND FO. LONG DAY, LATE NIGHT.

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.