Narrative:

Pilot was positioned on tarmac of FBO which is immediately adjacent to active runway 6. Departure point of active runway is approximately 300 ft to the rear and opposite side of active runway. Pilot completed preflight and contacted ground for clearance to taxi. ATC cleared pilot to active runway. Based on position of aircraft which was actually a very short distance from the active runway and based on past clrncs received by pilot at spg for same runway (usually to departure point of runway which is located on opposite side of runway), pilot erroneously mistook the clearance to taxi to departure point, which required crossing the active runway. As pilot began taxi, ATC cleared a cessna for takeoff crossing which was positioned at the hold short position preparing for departure. Pilot was confused by ATC clearance for takeoff by cessna thinking he was cleared to cross active runway. Consequently, having cessna in full view, pilot expedited taxi across runway knowing and seeing cessna had not taxied yet on active runway. Upon crossing, ATC became infuriated and angrily reprimanded pilot for crossing active runway. Due to confign of airfield, it is the pilot's opinion that to increase safety standard, ATC may consider more direct and precise directives. 'Hold position' or 'taxi runway Y hold short runway 6' would be more appropriate and more demonstrative in consideration of aircraft proximity to active runway. We all need to do our part to help pilots clearly understand directives so that they are confident they are doing the right thing at all times. Yes, this is a case of pilot error, which could have been prevented, however, by clear communication of intentions by ATC. Also, the uncontrolled reaction by ATC makes a pilot question his ability to handle sits. Not only ATC, but pilots also pursue safety. After all, it is safety of pilots and others, not ATC, that we try to protect and maximize.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA AT SPG RWY INCURSION.

Narrative: PLT WAS POSITIONED ON TARMAC OF FBO WHICH IS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO ACTIVE RWY 6. DEP POINT OF ACTIVE RWY IS APPROX 300 FT TO THE REAR AND OPPOSITE SIDE OF ACTIVE RWY. PLT COMPLETED PREFLT AND CONTACTED GND FOR CLRNC TO TAXI. ATC CLRED PLT TO ACTIVE RWY. BASED ON POS OF ACFT WHICH WAS ACTUALLY A VERY SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE ACTIVE RWY AND BASED ON PAST CLRNCS RECEIVED BY PLT AT SPG FOR SAME RWY (USUALLY TO DEP POINT OF RWY WHICH IS LOCATED ON OPPOSITE SIDE OF RWY), PLT ERRONEOUSLY MISTOOK THE CLRNC TO TAXI TO DEP POINT, WHICH REQUIRED XING THE ACTIVE RWY. AS PLT BEGAN TAXI, ATC CLRED A CESSNA FOR TKOF XING WHICH WAS POSITIONED AT THE HOLD SHORT POS PREPARING FOR DEP. PLT WAS CONFUSED BY ATC CLRNC FOR TKOF BY CESSNA THINKING HE WAS CLRED TO CROSS ACTIVE RWY. CONSEQUENTLY, HAVING CESSNA IN FULL VIEW, PLT EXPEDITED TAXI ACROSS RWY KNOWING AND SEEING CESSNA HAD NOT TAXIED YET ON ACTIVE RWY. UPON XING, ATC BECAME INFURIATED AND ANGRILY REPRIMANDED PLT FOR XING ACTIVE RWY. DUE TO CONFIGN OF AIRFIELD, IT IS THE PLT'S OPINION THAT TO INCREASE SAFETY STANDARD, ATC MAY CONSIDER MORE DIRECT AND PRECISE DIRECTIVES. 'HOLD POS' OR 'TAXI RWY Y HOLD SHORT RWY 6' WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE AND MORE DEMONSTRATIVE IN CONSIDERATION OF ACFT PROX TO ACTIVE RWY. WE ALL NEED TO DO OUR PART TO HELP PLTS CLRLY UNDERSTAND DIRECTIVES SO THAT THEY ARE CONFIDENT THEY ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING AT ALL TIMES. YES, THIS IS A CASE OF PLT ERROR, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED, HOWEVER, BY CLR COM OF INTENTIONS BY ATC. ALSO, THE UNCTLED REACTION BY ATC MAKES A PLT QUESTION HIS ABILITY TO HANDLE SITS. NOT ONLY ATC, BUT PLTS ALSO PURSUE SAFETY. AFTER ALL, IT IS SAFETY OF PLTS AND OTHERS, NOT ATC, THAT WE TRY TO PROTECT AND MAXIMIZE.

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.