Narrative:

Tower cleared me to land on runway 32. Upon landing, tower said 'at first exit, contact ground point niner.' I switched over and ground said I should be with tower until clear of runway 23L, so back with tower who seemed rather busy, said 'hold short runway 23L.' I held as requested. Tower, 'aircraft Y (a helicopter) expedite crossing, runway 23R, contact ground point niner other side.' I thought she said 'aircraft X, cross runway 23L, contact ground point niner.' I should mention at rdu you have only 1 location on the whole airport that you can cross a runway and that's at my holding location (unless you're a helicopter). I crossed runway 23L realizing as I crossed that I also had an inbound aircraft that had to go around because of my actions. The pilot of that aircraft said he was listening and understood what happened and felt the go around was unnecessary, but we both understand the rules. The tower supervisor and I talked for 30-40 mins after the incident. He was great about the whole thing. I was really upset at what I had done. He advised me that it was a training night and it was a busy one in the tower. He listened to the tapes and we talked about it a while. He also said if the FAA wanted to talk to him about it he wouldn't mind explaining to them about everything that took place. What could I have done to prevent it: I could have angled my C152 into the approach end direction so my wing would not block my view of the inbound traffic. I should have read back my instructions and waited for confirmation before crossing. Don't become complacent with the repetition of the flts (always the same).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY INCURSION WHEN A C152 CFI PLT CROSSES RWY 23L THINKING HE HAD PERMISSION TO DO SO AT RDU, NC.

Narrative: TWR CLRED ME TO LAND ON RWY 32. UPON LNDG, TWR SAID 'AT FIRST EXIT, CONTACT GND POINT NINER.' I SWITCHED OVER AND GND SAID I SHOULD BE WITH TWR UNTIL CLR OF RWY 23L, SO BACK WITH TWR WHO SEEMED RATHER BUSY, SAID 'HOLD SHORT RWY 23L.' I HELD AS REQUESTED. TWR, 'ACFT Y (A HELI) EXPEDITE XING, RWY 23R, CONTACT GND POINT NINER OTHER SIDE.' I THOUGHT SHE SAID 'ACFT X, CROSS RWY 23L, CONTACT GND POINT NINER.' I SHOULD MENTION AT RDU YOU HAVE ONLY 1 LOCATION ON THE WHOLE ARPT THAT YOU CAN CROSS A RWY AND THAT'S AT MY HOLDING LOCATION (UNLESS YOU'RE A HELI). I CROSSED RWY 23L REALIZING AS I CROSSED THAT I ALSO HAD AN INBOUND ACFT THAT HAD TO GO AROUND BECAUSE OF MY ACTIONS. THE PLT OF THAT ACFT SAID HE WAS LISTENING AND UNDERSTOOD WHAT HAPPENED AND FELT THE GO AROUND WAS UNNECESSARY, BUT WE BOTH UNDERSTAND THE RULES. THE TWR SUPVR AND I TALKED FOR 30-40 MINS AFTER THE INCIDENT. HE WAS GREAT ABOUT THE WHOLE THING. I WAS REALLY UPSET AT WHAT I HAD DONE. HE ADVISED ME THAT IT WAS A TRAINING NIGHT AND IT WAS A BUSY ONE IN THE TWR. HE LISTENED TO THE TAPES AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT A WHILE. HE ALSO SAID IF THE FAA WANTED TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT IT HE WOULDN'T MIND EXPLAINING TO THEM ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT TOOK PLACE. WHAT COULD I HAVE DONE TO PREVENT IT: I COULD HAVE ANGLED MY C152 INTO THE APCH END DIRECTION SO MY WING WOULD NOT BLOCK MY VIEW OF THE INBOUND TFC. I SHOULD HAVE READ BACK MY INSTRUCTIONS AND WAITED FOR CONFIRMATION BEFORE XING. DON'T BECOME COMPLACENT WITH THE REPETITION OF THE FLTS (ALWAYS THE SAME).

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.