An MD80 flight crew taxied onto the active runway without clearance at sjc.

Attributes
ACN	437751
Time
Date	199905
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : sjc.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 12500 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	437751
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

There were several other aircraft holding on the other side also, and another air carrier behind us. I heard ground control say '...taxi into position and hold runway 30L.' my first officer acknowledged repeating 'roger, taxi into position and hold.' as we taxied onto the runway, one of the aircraft, holding on the other side of the runway, also taxied into position downfield. Upon seeing this, I questioned my first officer if he was sure he heard what he thought he heard. He said 'yes.' as we stopped in position with the other aircraft in front of us, tower saw us, and told us to taxi forward and exit the runway. We had just come off a 9 hour scheduled rest, which wound up shorter because of a delayed arrival the night before. I believe my first officer's acknowledgement of the instruction was covered by the other aircraft also acknowledging. This is a perfect example where crew fatigue may have played a part in us misunderstanding and taking someone else's clearance as our own.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 FLC TAXIED ONTO THE ACTIVE RWY WITHOUT CLRNC AT SJC.

Narrative: THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER ACFT HOLDING ON THE OTHER SIDE ALSO, AND ANOTHER ACR BEHIND US. I HEARD GND CTL SAY '...TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD RWY 30L.' MY FO ACKNOWLEDGED REPEATING 'ROGER, TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD.' AS WE TAXIED ONTO THE RWY, ONE OF THE ACFT, HOLDING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RWY, ALSO TAXIED INTO POS DOWNFIELD. UPON SEEING THIS, I QUESTIONED MY FO IF HE WAS SURE HE HEARD WHAT HE THOUGHT HE HEARD. HE SAID 'YES.' AS WE STOPPED IN POS WITH THE OTHER ACFT IN FRONT OF US, TWR SAW US, AND TOLD US TO TAXI FORWARD AND EXIT THE RWY. WE HAD JUST COME OFF A 9 HR SCHEDULED REST, WHICH WOUND UP SHORTER BECAUSE OF A DELAYED ARR THE NIGHT BEFORE. I BELIEVE MY FO'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE INSTRUCTION WAS COVERED BY THE OTHER ACFT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGING. THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE WHERE CREW FATIGUE MAY HAVE PLAYED A PART IN US MISUNDERSTANDING AND TAKING SOMEONE ELSE'S CLRNC AS OUR OWN.

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.