B737-300 flight crew blunders onto runway at dca.

Attributes
ACN	461650
Time
Date	200001
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Snow Ice
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7600 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	461650
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	461802
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were at washington dca airport on ground control frequency and after requesting taxi clearance, our clearance was 'taxi to runway 1, left turn on taxiway J to follow another aircraft and hold short of runways 3/21.' the captain started to taxi while I obtained our takeoff numbers. The numbers we received were incorrect and I was distracted talking to operations in order to get the correct takeoff numbers. Glancing in and out of the cockpit, I noticed we were on taxiway J as instructed. The current ATIS was reporting runways 3/21 closed (it was covered in snow). By the time I had the correct numbers and looked out again, I verified our position only to realize that the captain had already passed runways 3/21. I looked back only to see that runways 3/21 did not look like a runway due to all the snow that was on it. As you know, the cockpit is specially busy before takeoff. And from this, I have learned that it is not enough for 1 set of eyes to taxi the aircraft and more attention will be needed specially when things are not going smooth.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLC BLUNDERS ONTO RWY AT DCA.

Narrative: WE WERE AT WASHINGTON DCA ARPT ON GND CTL FREQ AND AFTER REQUESTING TAXI CLRNC, OUR CLRNC WAS 'TAXI TO RWY 1, L TURN ON TXWY J TO FOLLOW ANOTHER ACFT AND HOLD SHORT OF RWYS 3/21.' THE CAPT STARTED TO TAXI WHILE I OBTAINED OUR TKOF NUMBERS. THE NUMBERS WE RECEIVED WERE INCORRECT AND I WAS DISTRACTED TALKING TO OPS IN ORDER TO GET THE CORRECT TKOF NUMBERS. GLANCING IN AND OUT OF THE COCKPIT, I NOTICED WE WERE ON TXWY J AS INSTRUCTED. THE CURRENT ATIS WAS RPTING RWYS 3/21 CLOSED (IT WAS COVERED IN SNOW). BY THE TIME I HAD THE CORRECT NUMBERS AND LOOKED OUT AGAIN, I VERIFIED OUR POS ONLY TO REALIZE THAT THE CAPT HAD ALREADY PASSED RWYS 3/21. I LOOKED BACK ONLY TO SEE THAT RWYS 3/21 DID NOT LOOK LIKE A RWY DUE TO ALL THE SNOW THAT WAS ON IT. AS YOU KNOW, THE COCKPIT IS SPECIALLY BUSY BEFORE TKOF. AND FROM THIS, I HAVE LEARNED THAT IT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR 1 SET OF EYES TO TAXI THE ACFT AND MORE ATTN WILL BE NEEDED SPECIALLY WHEN THINGS ARE NOT GOING SMOOTH.

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.