B727 crossed runway without a clearly stated clearance from controller.

Attributes
ACN	450769
Time
Date	199910
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : atl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	450769
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We landed on runway 8L and made the second high speed to the right. (I heard an aircraft say he was not ready for takeoff on runway 8L and had been told to hold short.) the tower asked us, 'would you like to cross runway 8L now?' (normally we taxi west and cross at taxiway D or taxiway C.) the first officer responded, 'yes.' tower said, 'contact ground .9 on the other side.' the first officer answered, 'roger, cleared across runway 8L.' tower -- no response. I knew the runway was clear, however, I turned on my runway turnoff lights before crossing. We were pointed directly at the tower and he was looking at us as we crossed. After crossing, I wished I had forced a proper phraseology 'clear across runway 8L,' but it was late, not very busy, and I was ready to get home. Altogether not very smart on my part.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CROSSED RWY WITHOUT A CLRLY STATED CLRNC FROM CTLR.

Narrative: WE LANDED ON RWY 8L AND MADE THE SECOND HIGH SPD TO THE R. (I HEARD AN ACFT SAY HE WAS NOT READY FOR TKOF ON RWY 8L AND HAD BEEN TOLD TO HOLD SHORT.) THE TWR ASKED US, 'WOULD YOU LIKE TO CROSS RWY 8L NOW?' (NORMALLY WE TAXI W AND CROSS AT TXWY D OR TXWY C.) THE FO RESPONDED, 'YES.' TWR SAID, 'CONTACT GND .9 ON THE OTHER SIDE.' THE FO ANSWERED, 'ROGER, CLRED ACROSS RWY 8L.' TWR -- NO RESPONSE. I KNEW THE RWY WAS CLR, HOWEVER, I TURNED ON MY RWY TURNOFF LIGHTS BEFORE XING. WE WERE POINTED DIRECTLY AT THE TWR AND HE WAS LOOKING AT US AS WE CROSSED. AFTER XING, I WISHED I HAD FORCED A PROPER PHRASEOLOGY 'CLR ACROSS RWY 8L,' BUT IT WAS LATE, NOT VERY BUSY, AND I WAS READY TO GET HOME. ALTOGETHER NOT VERY SMART ON MY PART.

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.