B737 taxies in wrong direction at pit to assigned runway.

Attributes
ACN	498492
Time
Date	200101
Day	Tue
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : pit.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Experience	controller non radar : 6 controller radar : 17 controller time certified in position1 : 10
ASRS Report	498492
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	incursion : taxiway incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Weather ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft X called for taxi from the ramp. I instructed him to taxi via taxiway V and taxiway east to runway 28C. The crew replied with a correct readback. I then spoke to a few more aircraft, and while scanning, I saw that aircraft X did not make a left turn at taxiway east, and was still sbound on taxiway V towards runway 28C, the active departure runway. I keyed up and just said 'aircraft X, stop!' I think the crew had already realized their error, because they were already slowing down. Aircraft X stopped just slightly over the hold line, but still well clear of the runway, as an air carrier departed runway 28C. I feel the reason this happened is that we normally depart sbound traffic from runway 28L at intersection P, but due to winds/WX we were landing runway 28L and departing runway 28C. I feel the crew just plain forgot the assigned runway until they were about to cross. Kind of a 'force of habit' if you will.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 TAXIES IN WRONG DIRECTION AT PIT TO ASSIGNED RWY.

Narrative: ACFT X CALLED FOR TAXI FROM THE RAMP. I INSTRUCTED HIM TO TAXI VIA TXWY V AND TXWY E TO RWY 28C. THE CREW REPLIED WITH A CORRECT READBACK. I THEN SPOKE TO A FEW MORE ACFT, AND WHILE SCANNING, I SAW THAT ACFT X DID NOT MAKE A L TURN AT TXWY E, AND WAS STILL SBOUND ON TXWY V TOWARDS RWY 28C, THE ACTIVE DEP RWY. I KEYED UP AND JUST SAID 'ACFT X, STOP!' I THINK THE CREW HAD ALREADY REALIZED THEIR ERROR, BECAUSE THEY WERE ALREADY SLOWING DOWN. ACFT X STOPPED JUST SLIGHTLY OVER THE HOLD LINE, BUT STILL WELL CLR OF THE RWY, AS AN ACR DEPARTED RWY 28C. I FEEL THE REASON THIS HAPPENED IS THAT WE NORMALLY DEPART SBOUND TFC FROM RWY 28L AT INTXN P, BUT DUE TO WINDS/WX WE WERE LNDG RWY 28L AND DEPARTING RWY 28C. I FEEL THE CREW JUST PLAIN FORGOT THE ASSIGNED RWY UNTIL THEY WERE ABOUT TO CROSS. KIND OF A 'FORCE OF HABIT' IF YOU WILL.

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.