Narrative:

Due to construction in ramp area, we were given taxi instructions from gate X onto runway 17 then back onto txwys leading into ramp to taxi to runway 11 holding point. We started down runway 17 and looked for first set of lights to right as our assigned taxiway was 1ST intersection to right off of runway 17. I noticed aircraft on approach to runway 35 and I sped up to get to intersection before landing aircraft. Also, I turned on landing lights. As I started to turn I noticed aircraft approaching runway 35 executing missed approach. We had also told ground controller we were on runway of approaching aircraft, but received no response. Then I realized we had taxied onto runway 11-29 heading 290 and an aircraft was in position for takeoff. Looking back, we witnessed that the taxiway we had been told to get on was apparently unlit. Then we saw the taxiway lights be turned on. A supervisory controller then came on, said there was no problem and then proceed to give us instructions off the runway onto the ramp and to the holding point for runway 11. The remainder of taxi and takeoff proceeded normally. I believe this was a potentially dangerous situation with ground controller taxiing us down runway we thought was inactive which had an aircraft coming at us on approach. We never knew if he had landing clearance since we were on ground. Also, we were cleared to a taxiway that was unlit in a nightime overcast condition. With an approaching aircraft and the unlit taxiway, we hurried off onto the first available lit taxiway which turned out to be the active runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC FLYING A B767 FROM SAEZ (BUENOS AIRES) RPRTS INTSRUCTIONS FROM ATC TO TAXI TO A TXWY THAT IS NOT ILLUMINATED RESULTING IN A RWY INCURSION.

Narrative: DUE TO CONSTRUCTION IN RAMP AREA, WE WERE GIVEN TAXI INSTRUCTIONS FROM GATE X ONTO RWY 17 THEN BACK ONTO TXWYS LEADING INTO RAMP TO TAXI TO RWY 11 HOLDING POINT. WE STARTED DOWN RWY 17 AND LOOKED FOR FIRST SET OF LIGHTS TO R AS OUR ASSIGNED TXWY WAS 1ST INTXN TO R OFF OF RWY 17. I NOTICED ACFT ON APCH TO RWY 35 AND I SPED UP TO GET TO INTXN BEFORE LNDG ACFT. ALSO, I TURNED ON LNDG LIGHTS. AS I STARTED TO TURN I NOTICED ACFT APCHING RWY 35 EXECUTING MISSED APCH. WE HAD ALSO TOLD GND CTLR WE WERE ON RWY OF APCHING ACFT, BUT RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. THEN I REALIZED WE HAD TAXIED ONTO RWY 11-29 HDG 290 AND AN ACFT WAS IN POS FOR TKOF. LOOKING BACK, WE WITNESSED THAT THE TXWY WE HAD BEEN TOLD TO GET ON WAS APPARENTLY UNLIT. THEN WE SAW THE TXWY LIGHTS BE TURNED ON. A SUPERVISORY CTLR THEN CAME ON, SAID THERE WAS NO PROB AND THEN PROCEED TO GIVE US INSTRUCTIONS OFF THE RWY ONTO THE RAMP AND TO THE HOLDING POINT FOR RWY 11. THE REMAINDER OF TAXI AND TKOF PROCEEDED NORMALLY. I BELIEVE THIS WAS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SIT WITH GND CTLR TAXIING US DOWN RWY WE THOUGHT WAS INACTIVE WHICH HAD AN ACFT COMING AT US ON APCH. WE NEVER KNEW IF HE HAD LNDG CLRNC SINCE WE WERE ON GND. ALSO, WE WERE CLRED TO A TXWY THAT WAS UNLIT IN A NIGHTIME OVCST CONDITION. WITH AN APCHING ACFT AND THE UNLIT TXWY, WE HURRIED OFF ONTO THE FIRST AVAILABLE LIT TXWY WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE THE ACTIVE RWY.

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.