Narrative:

Our call sign was air carrier X. We landed on runway 8L in atl. Tower instructed us to taxi via taxiway B and hold short of runway 8R at taxiway D ('dixie' as it is locally called). We arrived at taxiway D behind a B737, air carrier Y who was holding short of runway 8R at taxiway C. Just west of the B737, an air carrier Z regional jet call sign air carrier Z was holding short of runway 8R at taxiway C. After a B757 took off on runway 8R, tower has a small wake turbulence separation, and can use the opportunity to cross traffic to the ramp area, and began doing so as anticipated. Tower cleared air carrier Y and air carrier Z to cross runway 8R. I apparently misheard the clearance and read back 'air carrier X cleared to cross runway 8R.' no correction was received from the tower. I have not heard the ATC tape, so do not know if my transmission was blocked or I used the wrong call sign in my readback. The air carrier Z rj questioned his crossing clearance and was reaffirmed cleared to cross runway 8R. Tower also stated that traffic was holding in position on runway 8R, ie, waiting for takeoff clearance. The B737 crossed runway 8R on taxiway D. Next, the air carrier Z rj crossed runway 8R on taxiway C. (There may have been another rj that also crossed at taxiway C at this time, I cannot recall precisely.) following the rj, we crossed the runway 8R last, clearing the runway maybe 10 or 15 seconds after the rj on taxiway C. We could clearly see the traffic holding in position for takeoff on runway 8R. After clearing runway 8R, the tower informed us we were not cleared to cross runway 8R. We contacted an air carrier Y ATC liaison, the atlanta chief pilot's office, and the atl tower supervisor. The event was termed a 'non event' and resolved to satisfaction. The aircraft holding in position had been cleared to take off as we nosed onto runway 8R downfield, and had his takeoff clearance canceled. No conflict would have occurred if he had continued his takeoff. Idented problems: 1) readback, hearback error, especially with very similar call signs and accepted a clearance that would be expected under the circumstances. 2) use of 2 frequencys by atl tower. 1 for arrs, 1 for departures. In this case, our last chance of being situationally aware is removed, since we cannot hear takeoff clrncs being issued on a runway which we are crossing downfield. 3) distraction in cockpit due to cabin crew alerting us 3 times about a minor cabin problem during this event. I felt that I had no problem concentrating on my ATC clearance, but must admit this may have contributed to the error(south).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B757-200 TAXIED ACROSS PARALLEL RWY AFTER LNDG WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: OUR CALL SIGN WAS ACR X. WE LANDED ON RWY 8L IN ATL. TWR INSTRUCTED US TO TAXI VIA TXWY B AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 8R AT TXWY D ('DIXIE' AS IT IS LOCALLY CALLED). WE ARRIVED AT TXWY D BEHIND A B737, ACR Y WHO WAS HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 8R AT TXWY C. JUST W OF THE B737, AN ACR Z REGIONAL JET CALL SIGN ACR Z WAS HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 8R AT TXWY C. AFTER A B757 TOOK OFF ON RWY 8R, TWR HAS A SMALL WAKE TURB SEPARATION, AND CAN USE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CROSS TFC TO THE RAMP AREA, AND BEGAN DOING SO AS ANTICIPATED. TWR CLRED ACR Y AND ACR Z TO CROSS RWY 8R. I APPARENTLY MISHEARD THE CLRNC AND READ BACK 'ACR X CLRED TO CROSS RWY 8R.' NO CORRECTION WAS RECEIVED FROM THE TWR. I HAVE NOT HEARD THE ATC TAPE, SO DO NOT KNOW IF MY XMISSION WAS BLOCKED OR I USED THE WRONG CALL SIGN IN MY READBACK. THE ACR Z RJ QUESTIONED HIS XING CLRNC AND WAS REAFFIRMED CLRED TO CROSS RWY 8R. TWR ALSO STATED THAT TFC WAS HOLDING IN POS ON RWY 8R, IE, WAITING FOR TKOF CLRNC. THE B737 CROSSED RWY 8R ON TXWY D. NEXT, THE ACR Z RJ CROSSED RWY 8R ON TXWY C. (THERE MAY HAVE BEEN ANOTHER RJ THAT ALSO CROSSED AT TXWY C AT THIS TIME, I CANNOT RECALL PRECISELY.) FOLLOWING THE RJ, WE CROSSED THE RWY 8R LAST, CLRING THE RWY MAYBE 10 OR 15 SECONDS AFTER THE RJ ON TXWY C. WE COULD CLRLY SEE THE TFC HOLDING IN POS FOR TKOF ON RWY 8R. AFTER CLRING RWY 8R, THE TWR INFORMED US WE WERE NOT CLRED TO CROSS RWY 8R. WE CONTACTED AN ACR Y ATC LIAISON, THE ATLANTA CHIEF PLT'S OFFICE, AND THE ATL TWR SUPVR. THE EVENT WAS TERMED A 'NON EVENT' AND RESOLVED TO SATISFACTION. THE ACFT HOLDING IN POS HAD BEEN CLRED TO TAKE OFF AS WE NOSED ONTO RWY 8R DOWNFIELD, AND HAD HIS TKOF CLRNC CANCELED. NO CONFLICT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED IF HE HAD CONTINUED HIS TKOF. IDENTED PROBS: 1) READBACK, HEARBACK ERROR, ESPECIALLY WITH VERY SIMILAR CALL SIGNS AND ACCEPTED A CLRNC THAT WOULD BE EXPECTED UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. 2) USE OF 2 FREQS BY ATL TWR. 1 FOR ARRS, 1 FOR DEPS. IN THIS CASE, OUR LAST CHANCE OF BEING SITUATIONALLY AWARE IS REMOVED, SINCE WE CANNOT HEAR TKOF CLRNCS BEING ISSUED ON A RWY WHICH WE ARE XING DOWNFIELD. 3) DISTR IN COCKPIT DUE TO CABIN CREW ALERTING US 3 TIMES ABOUT A MINOR CABIN PROB DURING THIS EVENT. I FELT THAT I HAD NO PROB CONCENTRATING ON MY ATC CLRNC, BUT MUST ADMIT THIS MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ERROR(S).

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.