Runway incursion during a night operation by the flight crew of a cargo DC9 at swf, ny.

Attributes
ACN	560220
Time
Date	200209
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : swf.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 11990 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	560220
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1600 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	560337
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were parked on cargo ramp, north end of taxiway M. We were issued instructions, by ground, to 'taxi to runway 9.' no hold short instructions were given. I proceeded to taxi past the hold short line at the intersection of taxiway M and runway 9. The controller asked, 'what runway are you going to?' I came to an abrupt stop which left the nose of my aircraft four feet past the hold short line. My first officer stated our position. The controller then cleared us onto runway 9 to back taxi into position and hold. I asked the controller if this was going to be a problem. He said, 'no, just listen up.' there was never any conflict with any other vehicle or aircraft at any time. The way the taxi clearance was given, my first officer and I mistakenly misunderstood the clearance to mean that we should taxi all the way to the approach end of runway 9 since no hold short instructions were given. Additional information from acn 560337: both the captain and I interpreted the ground controller's taxi clearance to mean that we should cross runway 9 and continue to taxi to the app end of runway 9. The controller's taxi instructions were vague. However, upon reflection, I wished that I had asked him to clarify.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY INCURSION DURING A NIGHT OP BY THE FLC OF A CARGO DC9 AT SWF, NY.

Narrative: WE WERE PARKED ON CARGO RAMP, N END OF TXWY M. WE WERE ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS, BY GND, TO 'TAXI TO RWY 9.' NO HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN. I PROCEEDED TO TAXI PAST THE HOLD SHORT LINE AT THE INTERSECTION OF TAXIWAY M AND RWY 9. THE CONTROLLER ASKED, 'WHAT RWY ARE YOU GOING TO?' I CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP WHICH LEFT THE NOSE OF MY ACFT FOUR FEET PAST THE HOLD SHORT LINE. MY FO STATED OUR POSITION. THE CTLR THEN CLEARED US ONTO RWY 9 TO BACK TAXI INTO POSITION AND HOLD. I ASKED THE CTLR IF THIS WAS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM. HE SAID, 'NO, JUST LISTEN UP.' THERE WAS NEVER ANY CONFLICT WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLE OR ACFT AT ANY TIME. THE WAY THE TAXI CLEARANCE WAS GIVEN, MY FO AND I MISTAKENLY MISUNDERSTOOD THE CLEARANCE TO MEAN THAT WE SHOULD TAXI ALL THE WAY TO THE APPROACH END OF RWY 9 SINCE NO HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN. ADDITIONAL INFO FROM ACN 560337: BOTH THE CAPT AND I INTERPRETED THE GROUND CTLR'S TAXI CLEARANCE TO MEAN THAT WE SHOULD CROSS RWY 9 AND CONTINUE TO TAXI TO THE APP END OF RWY 9. THE CONTROLLER'S TAXI INSTRUCTIONS WERE VAGUE. HOWEVER, UPON REFLECTION, I WISHED THAT I HAD ASKED HIM TO CLARIFY.

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.