Narrative:

During taxi from the north runway complex to the cargo complex on the south side of the airport using the 'bridge' route (approaching runway 7L area) we were instructed to use taxiway B and 'hold short of taxiway U.' at a point on taxiway B close to B16, the first officer said (trying to be helpful) 'it will be the second on the right.' at the same time, a very busy 'tower' was clearing another 'company' flight, which had just rolled out on runway 25R to expedite across the left runway as well as clearing an air carrier flight to expedite across runway 25L (after holding short of runway 25L rollout end on taxiway U). While I was sorting out the busy communications in my mind and anticipating that the controller would want us to be where other air carrier had been holding so as to get us clear of the landing runways, I failed to hold short of taxiway U but turned instead onto taxiway U. By the time I realized the error, the nose of our aircraft had entered runway 7L. To minimize any conflict, I continued across runway 7L and stopped. (I had been looking easterly and knew that no traffic was landing on that runway, and in conversation with the tower supervisor, he confirmed that there had been no loss of separation). However, we had stopped too soon and were subsequently requested to move up to the hold line of runway 7R to provide full clearance of runway 7L. Cause: communication overload coupled with a desire to keep the traffic moving. Suggestions: continue the emphasis to crews to focus on the clearance. Supplemental information from acn 538875: the captain stated he thought he was 'cleared to cross' when in fact it was another company aircraft, further down the taxiway, that was cleared. By the time I realized he wasn't going to stop (first officer) we were already beyond the hold short line. Comment: if you're not sure of your clearance, ask!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY INCURSION WHEN AN MD11 FLT CROSSES RWY 7L WITHOUT CLRNC AT LAX, CA.

Narrative: DURING TAXI FROM THE N RWY COMPLEX TO THE CARGO COMPLEX ON THE S SIDE OF THE ARPT USING THE 'BRIDGE' RTE (APCHING RWY 7L AREA) WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO USE TXWY B AND 'HOLD SHORT OF TXWY U.' AT A POINT ON TXWY B CLOSE TO B16, THE FO SAID (TRYING TO BE HELPFUL) 'IT WILL BE THE SECOND ON THE R.' AT THE SAME TIME, A VERY BUSY 'TWR' WAS CLRING ANOTHER 'COMPANY' FLT, WHICH HAD JUST ROLLED OUT ON RWY 25R TO EXPEDITE ACROSS THE L RWY AS WELL AS CLRING AN ACR FLT TO EXPEDITE ACROSS RWY 25L (AFTER HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 25L ROLLOUT END ON TXWY U). WHILE I WAS SORTING OUT THE BUSY COMS IN MY MIND AND ANTICIPATING THAT THE CTLR WOULD WANT US TO BE WHERE OTHER ACR HAD BEEN HOLDING SO AS TO GET US CLR OF THE LNDG RWYS, I FAILED TO HOLD SHORT OF TXWY U BUT TURNED INSTEAD ONTO TXWY U. BY THE TIME I REALIZED THE ERROR, THE NOSE OF OUR ACFT HAD ENTERED RWY 7L. TO MINIMIZE ANY CONFLICT, I CONTINUED ACROSS RWY 7L AND STOPPED. (I HAD BEEN LOOKING EASTERLY AND KNEW THAT NO TFC WAS LNDG ON THAT RWY, AND IN CONVERSATION WITH THE TWR SUPVR, HE CONFIRMED THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO LOSS OF SEPARATION). HOWEVER, WE HAD STOPPED TOO SOON AND WERE SUBSEQUENTLY REQUESTED TO MOVE UP TO THE HOLD LINE OF RWY 7R TO PROVIDE FULL CLRNC OF RWY 7L. CAUSE: COM OVERLOAD COUPLED WITH A DESIRE TO KEEP THE TFC MOVING. SUGGESTIONS: CONTINUE THE EMPHASIS TO CREWS TO FOCUS ON THE CLRNC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 538875: THE CAPT STATED HE THOUGHT HE WAS 'CLRED TO CROSS' WHEN IN FACT IT WAS ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT, FURTHER DOWN THE TXWY, THAT WAS CLRED. BY THE TIME I REALIZED HE WASN'T GOING TO STOP (FO) WE WERE ALREADY BEYOND THE HOLD SHORT LINE. COMMENT: IF YOU'RE NOT SURE OF YOUR CLRNC, ASK!

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.