Narrative:

I was acting PIC and the new chief pilot was working the radios. When asking for taxi instructions ground control asked which runway we wanted -- runway 4L or runway 4R. I thought I told new chief pilot I wanted runway 4R. I assumed we got a clearance to runway 4R. I taxied up to hold line on runway 4L, asked pilot working the radio if he was sure we were cleared to the right or left side. He asked tower and I think they said cleared to the left side, but I crossed to the right side. They may have said cleared to the right, I'm not sure. In retrospect, I was not giving the radio my full attention. I was preoccupied with setting up navigation and other things in the aircraft. I was also on my first flight with the new chief pilot. I should have been paying extra attention to the radio, especially with a new person in the aircraft. In the future I will take more time and pay closer attention to the radio even if someone else is communicating. I am still not sure if we crossed a runway in error or if we were cleared across. Neither the tower nor ground control said anything, so perhaps we were in the right place. I will pay much closer attention in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A CPR PIPER NAVAJO TAXIING OUT FOR TKOF CROSSED A PARALLEL RWY WITHOUT CLRNC DUE TO A MISUNDERSTANDING OF TAXI CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS ACTING PIC AND THE NEW CHIEF PLT WAS WORKING THE RADIOS. WHEN ASKING FOR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS GND CTL ASKED WHICH RWY WE WANTED -- RWY 4L OR RWY 4R. I THOUGHT I TOLD NEW CHIEF PLT I WANTED RWY 4R. I ASSUMED WE GOT A CLRNC TO RWY 4R. I TAXIED UP TO HOLD LINE ON RWY 4L, ASKED PLT WORKING THE RADIO IF HE WAS SURE WE WERE CLRED TO THE R OR L SIDE. HE ASKED TWR AND I THINK THEY SAID CLRED TO THE L SIDE, BUT I CROSSED TO THE R SIDE. THEY MAY HAVE SAID CLRED TO THE R, I'M NOT SURE. IN RETROSPECT, I WAS NOT GIVING THE RADIO MY FULL ATTN. I WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH SETTING UP NAV AND OTHER THINGS IN THE ACFT. I WAS ALSO ON MY FIRST FLT WITH THE NEW CHIEF PLT. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAYING EXTRA ATTN TO THE RADIO, ESPECIALLY WITH A NEW PERSON IN THE ACFT. IN THE FUTURE I WILL TAKE MORE TIME AND PAY CLOSER ATTN TO THE RADIO EVEN IF SOMEONE ELSE IS COMMUNICATING. I AM STILL NOT SURE IF WE CROSSED A RWY IN ERROR OR IF WE WERE CLRED ACROSS. NEITHER THE TWR NOR GND CTL SAID ANYTHING, SO PERHAPS WE WERE IN THE RIGHT PLACE. I WILL PAY MUCH CLOSER ATTN IN THE FUTURE.

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.